Perdant d'Amour
by Erina-chan
Summary: SEQUEL TO GAGNAT || There's good publicity, and there's bad publicity... and then there's the kind that forces Misty away from Ash... carrying more than just a secret... (COMPLETE, sequel)
1.

Perdant d'Amour (Losing Love)

Sequel to Gagnat d'Amour

Prequel to Manquant d'Amour

Originally written: October 2000 - March 2001

Revised: July 2003

Prologue set 1 year after Gagnat.

Main story set 3 years after Gagnat.

~*~

**PROLOGUE**

~*~

**"Ash! If I have to come down there!"** Delia's threat rang shrilly through the peaceful Ketchum residence, silencing the teenage giggles coming from the living room. 

**"What are you talking about mom? I'm in my room…er…reading!"** Ash tried to throw his voice up the stairs as he sat on Misty's sofa-bed, as she sat shaking with silent giggles in his arms. 

**"Oh yeah,"** Delia snorted. **"You may be a Pokémon Master young man, but you're still breaking bedroom curfew! You and Misty need to get some sleep!"**

**"But mo-"**

**"NO BUTS!"** The door to Delia's bedroom slammed shut, sending vibrations through the house. This set Ash and Misty off giggling again, but an angry maternal growl from upstairs silenced them rapidly. Lunging at Misty with a quick kiss goodnight, and managing to hit her nose, Ash scrambled up the stairs and into his room. 

When she was sure that he'd gone, Misty swung her legs onto the sofa-bed and tucked herself under the covers. Reaching under the pillow, she pulled out her green-sheathed diary and as usual, scribbled a few sentences. Yawning widely, she curled up into a little ball on her makeshift bed, and fell asleep, dreaming sweet thoughts.

Creeeeeak. Ash quickly took his weight off the creaky step, and hopped over it. Slowly and silently, he made his way back into the lounge. It was way past midnight; he knew Misty would be asleep. He on the other hand couldn't sleep, so he had decided to…

**"ASH!"** growled his mother from upstairs, as Ash cringed. **"What are you doing!?"**

**"I-I'm thirsty…"** replied Ash, walking over to the fridge and defiantly pulling it open.

**"There's water in your bathroom!"** she retorted.

**"I want chocolate milk,"** pouted Ash, just before tipping the carton and sloshing the chocolate milk into his mouth rather than a glass.

**"Alright then…"** said Delia, yawning. **"Just…don't wake Misty."** Rhythmic breathing from upstairs reassured Ash his mother was dozing.

**"I won't,"** he whispered, putting the nearly empty carton back. 

**"Too late."** Misty was standing beside him in her pale lemon pyjamas with her hair out. Ash grinned at her, lifting one hand behind her neck to ruffle the back of her hair. 

**"Sorry Myst,"** he said, holding her closer.

**"So you should be!"** Misty teased. **"I am VERY angry, and I must be appeased!"**

**"Oh, I agree,"** Ash teased back, with exaggerated sincerity. **"You certainly need your beauty sleep, scrawny."** While Misty was staring at him with mock speechlessness, he grabbed her round the waist and lifted her up, a tradition they had started just before getting together. Involuntarily, she squealed. Ash, frightened that his mother would wake, silenced her with a kiss, feeling her body go limp in his arms. 

The one short kiss turned into a long series of kisses, with her still in his arms, playing with the collar of his pyjama top. Ash let her slide slowly to the floor, kissing her all the while. The happiest times in his life was when he held Misty in his arms, and kissed her. If it wasn't for their kisses and romantic touches, their relationship was almost exactly the same as it had been when they were just best friends. Kisses weren't a very important part of other people's romantic relationships, but it was the time when he knew she really loved him, and was reminded how much he really loved her.

But neither of them had said the words out loud.

Both were sure of the others feelings; both sides knew the other side loved them…but never confirmed it. Ash thought the words were stupid, meaningless syllables. He knew she knew he loved her. 

Releasing her lips, they looked each other in the eyes while they got their breath back. Both understood what the other was thinking. They grinned…

Delia Ketchum sighed as she saw them. It was obviously futile trying to keep them apart. Upon walking into her son's bedroom to apologise for shouting at him and Misty last night, she had found them together, sleeping serenely under the early morning sun that was peeking through Ash's haphazardly drawn curtains. As usual, Ash was sprawled out, taking up most of the bed, with one arm draped around Misty's shoulders. Misty was curled up next to him, her head on his chest. Their free hands were clasped loosely together. 

Deciding to leave them for a while, Delia dressed and wandered down to the lounge to permanently pack away the sofa-bed. She had a feeling Misty would be just as happy upstairs in her son's room. Delia tore off the bedding with the kind of stamina only a mother has, and Misty's diary slid unnoticed to the floor, and opened to her last entry.

_"So, when is he going to say he loves me then, hmmm?"_


	2. 

~*~

**CHAPTER TWO**

****

~*~

Mumbling curses under her breath, Misty stomped down the stairs.

**"If that's that bimbo reporter again…"** Pulling the door open, Misty had to resist the urge to slam it shut again.

**"Hello Miss Flowerwater!"** chirped Messena, standing on the doorstep.

**"Miss Waterflower,"** Misty corrected through gritted teeth. **"Listen peachy, I though I made myself clear the last hundred times! I DO NOT WANT TO BE INTERVIEWED!"** Messena grinned serenely at the enraged red head.

**"Oh, that's okay Miss, we already have all the information we need."** Misty paled.

**"Wh-what information?"**

**"Oh lots of it; that whole messy business about your mother and father for example."** Misty glanced at Messena. The woman was speaking cheerfully; none of her words held any malice. 

**"I know what's going on,"** Misty stated quietly, leaning back from her offensive position blocking the door. **"You're going to blackmail me into an interview, so I can save my mother's reputation in the press…"**

**"Yep, that's pretty much the idea!" **chirped Messena, pulling out her slightly chewed biro. **"Well then,"** she began, ushering in her photographer and pushing past Misty into the hallway. **"Shall we begin?"**

~*~

**"Would you like some tea?"** Misty called bitterly from the kitchen, as she watched Messena and the photographer invade her sitting room, where she and Ash had spent the previous evening revelling in solitude. 

**"Skimmed milk, no sugar honey! Us girls gotta watch our figures ya know!"** Messena broke into peals of laughter. Misty smirked.

**"Indeed…" **Alone in the kitchen, Misty slammed the mugs and kettle down on the side as hard as she could without breakage, trying to release her anger. Helplessly, she sank from the counter top to her knees on the floor, feeling her chest thump painfully as her logic melted into panic. Warm tears slid down her legs as the only remaining rational part inside her began to make frantic plans.

~*~

Messena pressed the red circular button on her Dictaphone, and placed her tea on the table.

**"Misty, tell us about your childhood."** Misty sat stubbornly in the chair opposite her, her long legs crossed, as well as her arms.

**"No. My childhood has nothing to do with Ash; and it's his biography. I'll tell you my life story if you really want it, but as far as I'm concerned, my life started with him."**

**"Uh yeah - that's…sweet. How old were you?"**

**"Um…almost 11."**

**"Tell me about the early parts of your journey."** Suddenly, Messena noticed that the hard, unforgiving look on Misty's face was gone, and this much more contented Misty stared straight through Messena, into a happy past of adventures and love, Messena was almost jealous of, simply from that wistful, nostalgic look. Misty spoke, with her normal soft voice, instead of the one she'd been using with the reporters.

**"He…broke my bike…"**

~*~

One hour later

~*~

**"So you love him?"** Messena asked wistfully. Over the hour, the two women had almost bonded, as now Messena was seeing the real Misty, the one the Pokémon Master was crazy about, and Misty was seeing Messena as an intern trying desperately not to lose her job. But with that question, Misty snapped out of it.

**"Huh? Um, isn't that too personal a question for a newspaper article?" **

**"Oh sorry,"** tittered Messena. **"I just got so swept up in it all, I was asking as a friend, not a reporter."** Messena stood up straight, and shuffled her notes together. **"Thank you Miss Waterflower, you were-"**

**"Yes."**

**"Excuse me?"**

**"I do love him…always have, and knowing my luck, I probably always will,"** she laughed. **"I do- I'd do anything for him…no matter what…"** Misty got a lump in her throat as once again she realised how much she truly loved him.

Messena was just about to reply, when her mobile rung; that annoying high-pitched trill that sounded like an ambulance on Prozac. 

**"Messena Shundo, Daily Dodrio,"** she chanted, admiring her peach nail varnish she had specially coordinated with her hair. Suddenly she straightened up. **"Mi- Miss Sonezaki…um yes, yes miss, she talked, I've got all the information you asked for…uhuh…what? Yo-you can't do th…but….but miss……."** There was silence for a moment, as Messena's face hardened with every malicious word pouring from her boss's mouth, and Misty looked on curiously, spoiling the shots the photographer tried to take of her. Suddenly, Messena's face took on a more determined look. **"Oh yeah…I QUIT!"** Even Misty could hear Carys scream _"You'll never work in journalism again!"_ down the phone. **"I don't care - I don't want to when there are monsters like you in the business!"**

Messena hung up abruptly, then collapsed on the sofa in floods of tears. Looking bored, the photographer left the house, taking a biscuit from the table on the way out, and not even acknowledging Misty in the slightest. Misty sat next to Messena with her arm around the sobbing girl's shoulders.

**"Oh Misty, she's going to run the story about your parents,"** the girl sobbed. **"She was gonna run both my interview and that whole murder thing."** Misty's fists clenched at that word. 

**"Did - did she wonder why my father was so high profile, to have all those records?" **she asked, warily. Messena nodded, black rivets of mascara coursing down her cheeks. 

**"That was to be my next assignment,"** she wailed. She continued, but Misty couldn't hear a word. They were going to find out… And that deadly rational part made its final decision. Misty gulped back a sob, as the full implication of what she had decided to do hit her like a rock hurled at her stomach. She had to get out of there, for Ash's sake.

~*~

10 minutes later, Misty was rummaging around in Ash's cupboard, picking up different Pokéballs and examining them until she found the one she sought and opened it. The owl Pokémon ruffled its feathers and opened its yellow eyes, irritated at being woken in the day, but its gaze softening when it saw its master's mate. 

Instinctively, the Pokémon knew the gentle girl was upset, and stroked her cheek with a feathered wing in comfort. Misty smiled.

**"Noctowl, I need you to take this message to Ash."** The Pokémon understood, and lifted its leg for Misty to attach the piece of paper. **"He should be on his way home from Indigo Plateau, probably got a lift with Gary in that ancient sports car." **Noctowl nodded wisely. **"This will just tell him to come home quickly…he can get on Rapidash, or get Pidgeot to give him a lift…"** Flapping its large wings, Noctowl hovered off the ground, then glided out the window in search of Ash. Misty sat on the floor on her own. **"It's our last day together…trust him to waste most of it with Gary!"** she half chuckled, warm tears overspilling.

~*~

Sitting impatiently on the couch, circumspectly going over every inch of her hurried plans. 

_"Ash will be crushed…"_ a little voice from inside said.

_"But you're doing this for him…"_ another coaxed. _"He'd be angry at you if your dead father lost him his position as Master…don't be selfish."_

_"But it's not your fault!"_ the first contradicted. Before the two forces could continue arguing, Misty heard a frantic fumbling at the lock, and Ash trying every key on his ring. Sighing she rose. He was obviously in a great hurry; he'd forgotten which was the key to the house he'd lived in since he was born. Opening the latch, Ash practically fell on top of her and crushed her into a hug.

**"What's the matter? Are you sick? You want me to call a doctor?"** he babbled, trying to take her pulse from her forehead, and her temperature from her wrist. Laughing, Misty pushed him away, half noticing Noctowl flying into the kitchen and helping itself to the Pokéchow set out for Pikachu, who promptly followed it into the kitchen.

**"I'm fine, you big lump! Get off me!"**

**"Hey, it's not my fault you're as scrawny as a twig!"** Playfully slapping him, she drew him down to the couch. **"So what's up?"** He was answered by a playful kiss. 

**"Woah, what was that for?"**

**"The one you missed last night…"** Slowly kissing his surprised face again, Misty moved her arms around him, and instinctively, he did the same. **"And that one was just because I felt like it…and that one…and that one…"** Content, Misty finished her kissing assault on Ash, and laid her head on his chest, an unspoken signal to him to play with her hair.

**"…wow,"** he muttered. **"That was way better than being in that hunk of junk car with Gary all morning." **Misty rose. **"What's up now?"** Misty chucked his jacket at him.

**"Come on; we're not spending today indoors watching TV and stuffing our faces." **Dragging him out into the back garden, Misty turned and wrapped her arms around him again. While he was goofily leaning in for a kiss, Misty grabbed Pidgeot's Pokéball from his belt.

**"Heeeey, I want my kiss! Don't mess with a guy's heart like that!"** he joked.

**"More like a guy's loins,"** Misty teased back, blowing him a preoccupied kiss as she called Pidgeot from the Pokéball. 

**"What's going on?!"** asked Ash. Misty just tapped her nose and grinned. **"Oh, you're too adorable, you know that?" **he said sarcastically, rolling his eyes and shoving his hands deep into his trouser pockets.

**"Of course,"** she replied, before turning to the large bird Pokémon. **"Pidgeot, can you take us to that place in Vermillion City you used to take me?" **

_"Piidge -ohh!"_ the Pokémon cried, as Misty climbed on its back and held her hand out to Ash who clambered on, looking densely confused. 

**"We're going to Vermillion? Pidgeot used to take you there? Hey, stop using my Pokémon without asking!"** Misty didn't retaliate to the playful command, instead, she lifted up Ash's arm and placed it round her shoulders. With a massive swoop of its huge wings, Pidgeot soared into the air, and headed in the north-easterly direction of Vermillion Harbour.

They cut straight across the sea; the high afternoon sun making the ocean waters appear silver. Crawling away from Ash on Pidgeot's broad back, Misty moved closer to its head, and took deep breaths as the warm ocean air washed over her. Ash came up behind her, taking her hands and resting his chin on her shoulder. She could hear him self consciously humming. 

**"Guess this is the perfect time to do something boyfriendy, huh?"** he murmured. Misty nodded. Ash cleared his throat. **"Just don't sue me for unoriginality, okay?"**

**"I won't,"** Misty laughed. With his head still rested on her shoulder, Ash caressed her fingers gently. He cleared his throat again.

**"Let me be your wings,"** he half sang, half said. **"Let me take…"** He halted for a second. **"Let me take you high above the stars."** Every word cut into Misty's heart like a knife, every syllable reminding her what she was going to do to him in less than a day. **"Anything we're dreaming of, will soon be ours…" **Ash's singing was now nothing more than hot murmuring in her ear. Misty started to cry, and Ash gently wiped the tears off her face. **"Anything that you desire, anything at all…everyday I'll take you higher, and I'll never let you fall."**

**"Oh Ash,"** Misty wailed, turning around and hugging him. Ash gently tapped the side of her nose as she drew in to kiss him once again. His face broke into a grin.

**"I knew that'd get you kissing me,"** he grinned. Misty had no time to retaliate, as Pidgeot landed, and to show its disgust at the public show of affection between the two people it still saw as squabbling ten year olds, returned to its ball without being told. 

**"Hey, it was worth it,"** he grinned again. **"Even if I did have to sing!" **

Grasping his hand and making a face, Misty led Ash down the precipice they had landed on, to a secluded beach, with golden sand, and the silvery sea washing gently against it. To the left, they could see the boats pulling in and out monotonously of the Harbour, but no one could see in to them. Misty led Ash to the top of the beach, where there was an old battered bench. Ash ran his fingers over the ancient wood.

**"This is where you used to come Myst? Before you travelled with me?"** Misty nodded.

**"There's more."** Again, she led him across the beach, to the far end, where green shrubbery was starting to grow again. Pushing past the weeds, Misty beckoned Ash closer, to see a small cave that had been cut out of the cliff face. Walking in, Ash expected it to be slimy, and dark, but to his surprise, he found that it was sandy and dry, and various candles were set up around the walls that Misty lit.

**"What's all this then?"** he asked.

**"This was my solitude,"** she answered. **"When my parents started arguing, and even more so when they died. I caught Goldeen in that rock-pool outside,"** she added.

**"You mean to say, you set this thing up when you were a little girl?"**

**"Yep, and you're the first person I've ever let in it."** A picture on the crate that the younger Misty had used as a table caught his eye. The paper was turning green at the edges, and Ash thought it would break in his hands and turn to mush. It was a drawing, and in the corner, someone had scribbled _Misty Waterflower, aged 5 and a 1/2 _in thick black crayon. It was a bit hard to make out, but the scribble of orange at the top gave the impression it was a self portrait.

**"Hey hon?"** Ash called Misty over. **"What was this?"** Misty took it gingerly.

**"Oh, it was a drawing I did of myself on my wedding day. It's nothing weird, all little girls dreamed of the big white dress and the veil…"**

**"You want a big white dress eh? That can be arranged!"** Ash pulled Misty into his embrace again after she put the picture back down. He felt so close to her that day. He looked down at Misty's scrutinising face. The light from the flickering candles bounced off the walls of the cave. Ash 's breath caught in his throat. Candlelight, Misty's favourite place in the world…

Misty's breath also caught in her throat. Part of her wanted Ash to say the words she knew where on the tip of his tongue. To have him tell her that he loved her…he had skipped around the words so many times. Endless metaphors like "you are my everything" and "you are my reason to be" came from his heart, but were poor facsimiles of the phrase she most desperately wanted to hear. 

Another half of her screamed for him to stop. If he told her that he loved her, and took her in his arms, there was no way she'd ever have the guts for her moonlight flit, and Ash's career, no, his life long dream, would be completely ruined. 

Ash was increasingly aware his mouth was hanging open, as three "stupid" words stuck in his throat. Suddenly, there was a crash from outside, and suddenly there was a thundering sound as rain smashed down on the roof of the cave. 

**"Aw damn,"** Ash cursed. **"We'll get completely soaked!"** Guiltily thankful the awkward moment was over, Misty fiddled around in her bag.

**"Hang on."** She pulled out a Ball, and opened it. 

_"Toki, toki tic?"_ The petite evolution of Togepi stood in front of the couple, her delicate fairy wings getting battered by heavy drops from the cave roof.

**"Togetic, can you teleport me and Ash home?"** Togetic nodded, and squinted her little eyes shut.

**"Tokiiiii!"** she chirped, as the cave was engulfed by a violet light, and suddenly Misty and Ash materialised on their sofa.

**"Thanks Togetic,"** Misty said, as she returned her to her ball. She sat there in silence for a moment, feeling the cool hardness of the device in her palm.

**"So,"** said Ash, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her. **"Who's for TV?"**


	3. 

~*~

**CHAPTER TWO**

****

~*~

Mumbling curses under her breath, Misty stomped down the stairs.

**"If that's that bimbo reporter again…"** Pulling the door open, Misty had to resist the urge to slam it shut again.

**"Hello Miss Flowerwater!"** chirped Messena, standing on the doorstep.

**"Miss Waterflower,"** Misty corrected through gritted teeth. **"Listen peachy, I though I made myself clear the last hundred times! I DO NOT WANT TO BE INTERVIEWED!"** Messena grinned serenely at the enraged red head.

**"Oh, that's okay Miss, we already have all the information we need."** Misty paled.

**"Wh-what information?"**

**"Oh lots of it; that whole messy business about your mother and father for example."** Misty glanced at Messena. The woman was speaking cheerfully; none of her words held any malice. 

**"I know what's going on,"** Misty stated quietly, leaning back from her offensive position blocking the door. **"You're going to blackmail me into an interview, so I can save my mother's reputation in the press…"**

**"Yep, that's pretty much the idea!" **chirped Messena, pulling out her slightly chewed biro. **"Well then,"** she began, ushering in her photographer and pushing past Misty into the hallway. **"Shall we begin?"**

~*~

**"Would you like some tea?"** Misty called bitterly from the kitchen, as she watched Messena and the photographer invade her sitting room, where she and Ash had spent the previous evening revelling in solitude. 

**"Skimmed milk, no sugar honey! Us girls gotta watch our figures ya know!"** Messena broke into peals of laughter. Misty smirked.

**"Indeed…" **Alone in the kitchen, Misty slammed the mugs and kettle down on the side as hard as she could without breakage, trying to release her anger. Helplessly, she sank from the counter top to her knees on the floor, feeling her chest thump painfully as her logic melted into panic. Warm tears slid down her legs as the only remaining rational part inside her began to make frantic plans.

~*~

Messena pressed the red circular button on her Dictaphone, and placed her tea on the table.

**"Misty, tell us about your childhood."** Misty sat stubbornly in the chair opposite her, her long legs crossed, as well as her arms.

**"No. My childhood has nothing to do with Ash; and it's his biography. I'll tell you my life story if you really want it, but as far as I'm concerned, my life started with him."**

**"Uh yeah - that's…sweet. How old were you?"**

**"Um…almost 11."**

**"Tell me about the early parts of your journey."** Suddenly, Messena noticed that the hard, unforgiving look on Misty's face was gone, and this much more contented Misty stared straight through Messena, into a happy past of adventures and love, Messena was almost jealous of, simply from that wistful, nostalgic look. Misty spoke, with her normal soft voice, instead of the one she'd been using with the reporters.

**"He…broke my bike…"**

~*~

One hour later

~*~

**"So you love him?"** Messena asked wistfully. Over the hour, the two women had almost bonded, as now Messena was seeing the real Misty, the one the Pokémon Master was crazy about, and Misty was seeing Messena as an intern trying desperately not to lose her job. But with that question, Misty snapped out of it.

**"Huh? Um, isn't that too personal a question for a newspaper article?" **

**"Oh sorry,"** tittered Messena. **"I just got so swept up in it all, I was asking as a friend, not a reporter."** Messena stood up straight, and shuffled her notes together. **"Thank you Miss Waterflower, you were-"**

**"Yes."**

**"Excuse me?"**

**"I do love him…always have, and knowing my luck, I probably always will,"** she laughed. **"I do- I'd do anything for him…no matter what…"** Misty got a lump in her throat as once again she realised how much she truly loved him.

Messena was just about to reply, when her mobile rung; that annoying high-pitched trill that sounded like an ambulance on Prozac. 

**"Messena Shundo, Daily Dodrio,"** she chanted, admiring her peach nail varnish she had specially coordinated with her hair. Suddenly she straightened up. **"Mi- Miss Sonezaki…um yes, yes miss, she talked, I've got all the information you asked for…uhuh…what? Yo-you can't do th…but….but miss……."** There was silence for a moment, as Messena's face hardened with every malicious word pouring from her boss's mouth, and Misty looked on curiously, spoiling the shots the photographer tried to take of her. Suddenly, Messena's face took on a more determined look. **"Oh yeah…I QUIT!"** Even Misty could hear Carys scream _"You'll never work in journalism again!"_ down the phone. **"I don't care - I don't want to when there are monsters like you in the business!"**

Messena hung up abruptly, then collapsed on the sofa in floods of tears. Looking bored, the photographer left the house, taking a biscuit from the table on the way out, and not even acknowledging Misty in the slightest. Misty sat next to Messena with her arm around the sobbing girl's shoulders.

**"Oh Misty, she's going to run the story about your parents,"** the girl sobbed. **"She was gonna run both my interview and that whole murder thing."** Misty's fists clenched at that word. 

**"Did - did she wonder why my father was so high profile, to have all those records?" **she asked, warily. Messena nodded, black rivets of mascara coursing down her cheeks. 

**"That was to be my next assignment,"** she wailed. She continued, but Misty couldn't hear a word. They were going to find out… And that deadly rational part made its final decision. Misty gulped back a sob, as the full implication of what she had decided to do hit her like a rock hurled at her stomach. She had to get out of there, for Ash's sake.

~*~

10 minutes later, Misty was rummaging around in Ash's cupboard, picking up different Pokéballs and examining them until she found the one she sought and opened it. The owl Pokémon ruffled its feathers and opened its yellow eyes, irritated at being woken in the day, but its gaze softening when it saw its master's mate. 

Instinctively, the Pokémon knew the gentle girl was upset, and stroked her cheek with a feathered wing in comfort. Misty smiled.

**"Noctowl, I need you to take this message to Ash."** The Pokémon understood, and lifted its leg for Misty to attach the piece of paper. **"He should be on his way home from Indigo Plateau, probably got a lift with Gary in that ancient sports car." **Noctowl nodded wisely. **"This will just tell him to come home quickly…he can get on Rapidash, or get Pidgeot to give him a lift…"** Flapping its large wings, Noctowl hovered off the ground, then glided out the window in search of Ash. Misty sat on the floor on her own. **"It's our last day together…trust him to waste most of it with Gary!"** she half chuckled, warm tears overspilling.

~*~

Sitting impatiently on the couch, circumspectly going over every inch of her hurried plans. 

_"Ash will be crushed…"_ a little voice from inside said.

_"But you're doing this for him…"_ another coaxed. _"He'd be angry at you if your dead father lost him his position as Master…don't be selfish."_

_"But it's not your fault!"_ the first contradicted. Before the two forces could continue arguing, Misty heard a frantic fumbling at the lock, and Ash trying every key on his ring. Sighing she rose. He was obviously in a great hurry; he'd forgotten which was the key to the house he'd lived in since he was born. Opening the latch, Ash practically fell on top of her and crushed her into a hug.

**"What's the matter? Are you sick? You want me to call a doctor?"** he babbled, trying to take her pulse from her forehead, and her temperature from her wrist. Laughing, Misty pushed him away, half noticing Noctowl flying into the kitchen and helping itself to the Pokéchow set out for Pikachu, who promptly followed it into the kitchen.

**"I'm fine, you big lump! Get off me!"**

**"Hey, it's not my fault you're as scrawny as a twig!"** Playfully slapping him, she drew him down to the couch. **"So what's up?"** He was answered by a playful kiss. 

**"Woah, what was that for?"**

**"The one you missed last night…"** Slowly kissing his surprised face again, Misty moved her arms around him, and instinctively, he did the same. **"And that one was just because I felt like it…and that one…and that one…"** Content, Misty finished her kissing assault on Ash, and laid her head on his chest, an unspoken signal to him to play with her hair.

**"…wow,"** he muttered. **"That was way better than being in that hunk of junk car with Gary all morning." **Misty rose. **"What's up now?"** Misty chucked his jacket at him.

**"Come on; we're not spending today indoors watching TV and stuffing our faces." **Dragging him out into the back garden, Misty turned and wrapped her arms around him again. While he was goofily leaning in for a kiss, Misty grabbed Pidgeot's Pokéball from his belt.

**"Heeeey, I want my kiss! Don't mess with a guy's heart like that!"** he joked.

**"More like a guy's loins,"** Misty teased back, blowing him a preoccupied kiss as she called Pidgeot from the Pokéball. 

**"What's going on?!"** asked Ash. Misty just tapped her nose and grinned. **"Oh, you're too adorable, you know that?" **he said sarcastically, rolling his eyes and shoving his hands deep into his trouser pockets.

**"Of course,"** she replied, before turning to the large bird Pokémon. **"Pidgeot, can you take us to that place in Vermillion City you used to take me?" **

_"Piidge -ohh!"_ the Pokémon cried, as Misty climbed on its back and held her hand out to Ash who clambered on, looking densely confused. 

**"We're going to Vermillion? Pidgeot used to take you there? Hey, stop using my Pokémon without asking!"** Misty didn't retaliate to the playful command, instead, she lifted up Ash's arm and placed it round her shoulders. With a massive swoop of its huge wings, Pidgeot soared into the air, and headed in the north-easterly direction of Vermillion Harbour.

They cut straight across the sea; the high afternoon sun making the ocean waters appear silver. Crawling away from Ash on Pidgeot's broad back, Misty moved closer to its head, and took deep breaths as the warm ocean air washed over her. Ash came up behind her, taking her hands and resting his chin on her shoulder. She could hear him self consciously humming. 

**"Guess this is the perfect time to do something boyfriendy, huh?"** he murmured. Misty nodded. Ash cleared his throat. **"Just don't sue me for unoriginality, okay?"**

**"I won't,"** Misty laughed. With his head still rested on her shoulder, Ash caressed her fingers gently. He cleared his throat again.

**"Let me be your wings,"** he half sang, half said. **"Let me take…"** He halted for a second. **"Let me take you high above the stars."** Every word cut into Misty's heart like a knife, every syllable reminding her what she was going to do to him in less than a day. **"Anything we're dreaming of, will soon be ours…" **Ash's singing was now nothing more than hot murmuring in her ear. Misty started to cry, and Ash gently wiped the tears off her face. **"Anything that you desire, anything at all…everyday I'll take you higher, and I'll never let you fall."**

**"Oh Ash,"** Misty wailed, turning around and hugging him. Ash gently tapped the side of her nose as she drew in to kiss him once again. His face broke into a grin.

**"I knew that'd get you kissing me,"** he grinned. Misty had no time to retaliate, as Pidgeot landed, and to show its disgust at the public show of affection between the two people it still saw as squabbling ten year olds, returned to its ball without being told. 

**"Hey, it was worth it,"** he grinned again. **"Even if I did have to sing!" **

Grasping his hand and making a face, Misty led Ash down the precipice they had landed on, to a secluded beach, with golden sand, and the silvery sea washing gently against it. To the left, they could see the boats pulling in and out monotonously of the Harbour, but no one could see in to them. Misty led Ash to the top of the beach, where there was an old battered bench. Ash ran his fingers over the ancient wood.

**"This is where you used to come Myst? Before you travelled with me?"** Misty nodded.

**"There's more."** Again, she led him across the beach, to the far end, where green shrubbery was starting to grow again. Pushing past the weeds, Misty beckoned Ash closer, to see a small cave that had been cut out of the cliff face. Walking in, Ash expected it to be slimy, and dark, but to his surprise, he found that it was sandy and dry, and various candles were set up around the walls that Misty lit.

**"What's all this then?"** he asked.

**"This was my solitude,"** she answered. **"When my parents started arguing, and even more so when they died. I caught Goldeen in that rock-pool outside,"** she added.

**"You mean to say, you set this thing up when you were a little girl?"**

**"Yep, and you're the first person I've ever let in it."** A picture on the crate that the younger Misty had used as a table caught his eye. The paper was turning green at the edges, and Ash thought it would break in his hands and turn to mush. It was a drawing, and in the corner, someone had scribbled _Misty Waterflower, aged 5 and a 1/2 _in thick black crayon. It was a bit hard to make out, but the scribble of orange at the top gave the impression it was a self portrait.

**"Hey hon?"** Ash called Misty over. **"What was this?"** Misty took it gingerly.

**"Oh, it was a drawing I did of myself on my wedding day. It's nothing weird, all little girls dreamed of the big white dress and the veil…"**

**"You want a big white dress eh? That can be arranged!"** Ash pulled Misty into his embrace again after she put the picture back down. He felt so close to her that day. He looked down at Misty's scrutinising face. The light from the flickering candles bounced off the walls of the cave. Ash 's breath caught in his throat. Candlelight, Misty's favourite place in the world…

Misty's breath also caught in her throat. Part of her wanted Ash to say the words she knew where on the tip of his tongue. To have him tell her that he loved her…he had skipped around the words so many times. Endless metaphors like "you are my everything" and "you are my reason to be" came from his heart, but were poor facsimiles of the phrase she most desperately wanted to hear. 

Another half of her screamed for him to stop. If he told her that he loved her, and took her in his arms, there was no way she'd ever have the guts for her moonlight flit, and Ash's career, no, his life long dream, would be completely ruined. 

Ash was increasingly aware his mouth was hanging open, as three "stupid" words stuck in his throat. Suddenly, there was a crash from outside, and suddenly there was a thundering sound as rain smashed down on the roof of the cave. 

**"Aw damn,"** Ash cursed. **"We'll get completely soaked!"** Guiltily thankful the awkward moment was over, Misty fiddled around in her bag.

**"Hang on."** She pulled out a Ball, and opened it. 

_"Toki, toki tic?"_ The petite evolution of Togepi stood in front of the couple, her delicate fairy wings getting battered by heavy drops from the cave roof.

**"Togetic, can you teleport me and Ash home?"** Togetic nodded, and squinted her little eyes shut.

**"Tokiiiii!"** she chirped, as the cave was engulfed by a violet light, and suddenly Misty and Ash materialised on their sofa.

**"Thanks Togetic,"** Misty said, as she returned her to her ball. She sat there in silence for a moment, feeling the cool hardness of the device in her palm.

**"So,"** said Ash, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her. **"Who's for TV?"**


	4. 

~*~

**CHAPTER THREE**

****

~*~

Ash felt cold. Sleepily, he opened one eye and realised that Misty wasn't nestled in her usual place under his arm. As he grew accustomed to the dark, he saw her familiar shape standing by their bedroom door.

**"Misty?" **he whispered. **"What's wrong?"** Startled, Misty jumped and turned around. Ash could faintly see the moonlight reflecting off her eyes, and revealing an expressionless face.

**"Go back to sleep Ash,"** her voice just as expressionless, heavy with what he guessed to be fatigue. **"I'm just gonna get a drink." **He smiled fondly at her, and sank back on his pillow yawning. He was asleep in two seconds, a babyishly happy look on his face. 

Misty gazed at him…he looked so sweet and innocent, sprawled out on the sheets that appeared even whiter in the moonlight. Suddenly, she felt a pang in her chest. 

**"So that's heartache,"** she thought grimly. Ash was all she'd ever known, all she'd ever wanted to know. The urge to kick off her shoes and snuggle back under his arm was unbearable.

_"You're doing it for him."_

_"But what if he needs you more than being the Master?"_

Biting her lip, Misty turned her head away at the thoughts. She couldn't let herself be stubborn and selfish - she had to think of him. Taking another look, Misty knew there was no problem of that. She would think of him for the rest of her life; and it was slowly killing her that she wouldn't be spending that time with him. 

She didn't dare touch him, for fear of waking him, but ran her fingers an inch above his skin as she trailed his familiar features. Her best friend of 7 years, and her lover of 3. She'd loved him almost half of her life, and she'd love him for any meaningless years or time span she would remain alive after that night.

**"Goodbye Ash,"** she whispered. Although her voice wasn't audible to human ears, her movements were enough to wake up Pikachu, who, in the next room curiously put her ear to the wall. **"I am so, so sorry…but it's for the best,"** Panicking for the last time, Misty found herself trying to rectify her situation to him; the knowledge he couldn't hear her forgotten. **"Oh I wish I could just pull all memory of me out of your head,"** she whispered. **"But…I'm sure you'll find somebody else…and…and Ash, I truly hope you'll be happy. You deserve it. And I-" **Misty swallowed deeply, choosing her last words to him carefully. **"I just hope whoever you end up with loves you at least half as much as I do…"**

The words ripped themselves out of her mouth as Misty whirled around and ran as quickly as she dared out of their bedroom, down the stairs and into the hall. He paused to check the time. 2.08am. Fidgeting uneasily, and taking deep breaths to compose herself and stop her sobs, she perched herself on the edge of the sofa. The headlights of her taxi illuminated the room through the drapes as it glided into the driveway, making a slight crunching noise with the pebbles against the tires.

The beams of artificial light shone into the house, glinting on a pair of confused and wary brown eyes as Pikachu watched Misty leave the house from the top of the stairs. 

Misty ran quickly out the front door, squeezing her eyes shut, as if to block out memories…such as the one where they had arrived after Ash won the Indigo League, and Ash mom had found them kissing against that same white door…She hesitated slightly to look up at the bedroom window, where Ash was still sleeping serenely. She hopped into the taxi, and smiled emptily at the driver.

**"Where to missy?"** asked the man. He flicked a switch in the front, and suddenly, the locks on the doors clicked. Misty stared at them, and gulped again.

_"You wanna go back? Last chance…"_

_"You know why you need to go back…"_

**"Where to?"** he repeated.

**"…Viridian Airport. I need to catch a flight into Johto."** Misty settled back on the cold seat, and tried not to think of her warm bed, next to her warm and loving boyfriend. She felt pressure build up behind her eyes again, so to busy herself, she fumbled blindly around in her bag until she found the small folded piece of paper. 

She read the French words in Ash's hesitant, halting handwriting, savouring every word.

[==::START FLASHBACK::==]

_Laying on his stomach of the large bed of the Indigo Plateau's largest suite, Ash finished painstakingly writing in French, then tossed the paper to Misty, who was sitting at the desk watching Togepi chirp at its reflection in Ash's newest trophy._

_"Ensemble pour toujours, n'importe comment longtemps dès maintenant jusqu' à la fin du temps nous serons ensemble, et vous pouvez être sûr que pour toujours et un _

_jour qui est combien de temps nous resterons ensemble et pour toujours plus"_

_Smiling her easy smile, Misty moved across to sit with Ash on the bed. Quickly kissing his cheek, she motioned for him to sign it, then hastily scribbled Misty Waterflower next to his name._

[==::END FLASHBACK::==]

Clasping the paper tightly in her shaking hands, Misty translated the words easily. It was their pact. Hers and Ash's, written down for her by him in her favourite language.

_"Together forever, no matter how long, from now until the end of time, we'll be together, and you can be sure, that forever and a day, that's how long we'll stay, together and forever more."_

But there were no tears on Misty's face as she shoved the piece of paper out the window into the night.

And the taxi sped on under the stars, as the broken pact caught on the wind and blew out of sight.


	5. 

~*~

**CHAPTER FOUR**

****

~*~

Chuck strode in through the doors of him Gym on Cianwood Island, and was greeted by his lavender-haired receptionist, Anju. 

**"Mornin' toots,"** he growled, good-naturedly pinching her bottom as he strode past. **"Any challengers here yet?"**

**"Not for a Badge sir, but there's a young lady called Misty who wants to apply for a place as a Trainer at the Gym."** Chuck rubbed his hands together. 

**"What's she like then?"** Anju pulled out her checklist.

**"Seventeen, red hair, greeny coloured eyes, long legs, not fat, big chest, specialises in Water Pokémon and no wedding ring."** Chuck leered happily.

**"I like her already! Water Pokémon huh? Doesn't she know this is a Fighting Pokémon Gym...she needs at least one."**

**"Her Poliwhirl is willing to evolve sir."**

**"Good good. Well, we'll see after I've rated her…we've got some spare WaterStones right toots?"**

**"Yes sir."**

**"Alright, send her in, in about 10 minutes time."**

~*~

Misty sat nervously on the tatty leathered seat in the Gym's waiting room, and rubbed her hands up and down her arms. She didn't know what was wrong with her; everything felt so cold recently. Cianwood Island…she'd never heard of the place. She had simply ran till she couldn't get any further. First a plane into Johto, then in the early hours of the morning she had grabbed the nearest bus, which had deposited her at some structure called the Glitter Lighthouse in Olivine City. 

Seeing ocean in front of her, she'd jumped on her Lapras, gritting her mind against the fact it had been a birthday present from Ash, and surfed out past whirlpools until she couldn't any more. And now here she was…applying for a place in a Fighting Pokémon Gym. Listlessly she picked at her fingernail. She imagined there must have been a time when she, Brock and Ash had been waiting together in this room.

Anju reappeared with a smile, layers of chiffon skirt flying everywhere as she announced the "Great Chuck" was ready to challenge her.

**"Challenge me?"** asked Misty, hurriedly. **"Oh no I don't want a Badge, I want to become a Trainer here!"**

**"That's right sugar,"** Anju replied. **"It's his way of seeing if you are worthy enough!"** She winked and gestured towards the door that led into the small stadium. Suddenly, years of routine took over, and her nervousness left her.

**"Let's get this over with then,"** growled Chuck, flicking his cigarette out from between his lips and onto the ground, where he stepped on it.

**"Couldn't have said it better myself,"** Misty replied, her teeth over her lips in an empty smile.

**"Okay girlie, it's a 2 on 2 Pokémon Battle. Of course, you don't have to win to get a place here, but you can't lose too badly babes."** He winked at her. **"Ready?"**

**"Never been more ready for anything,"** Misty retorted. Chuck arched back and threw a Pokéball. 

**"Poliwrath I want you!" **he called in his deep voice, as a Poliwrath appeared from the red energy chanting its name.

**"Misty calls…"** _"Stay in Psyduck!" _she thought as she maximised a Pokéball. **"…Chinchou!"** The Angler Pokémon materialised, and Misty took a peek at Chuck who seemed unperturbed. **"Too bad for him…he doesn't seem to know that Chinchou is Electric and Water elements!"**

~*~

Approximately 7 minutes later, Chuck recalled his fainted Primeape, and chucked both his used Pokéballs down a pipe that would take them direct to the Pokémon Centre on the seafront so Nurse Joy could treat them. Misty calmly recalled her Togetic and replaced it into her bag.

Chuck smiled begrudgingly at the girl, and tossed her a small triangular capsule with "001" printed on it. It shimmered a navy colour under the arena lights, and Misty recognised it as a TM. Her Gym's special TM, TM11, Bubblebeam, was more of an oval shape, and was silver coloured. 

**"That's the Cianwood Gym TM, DynamicPunch."** Chuck crossed the floor and handed Misty a blue, semi-transparent stone with a pretty swirl in the centre. **"Here, you need this to evolve your Poliwhirl."** He strode to open the door for her, winking at Anju as he went. **"Anju, this lil' lady's got herself a job. Show her to her room."** He turned to Misty. **"Congrats babes. You are now officially, the only Junior Trainer Female in the Cianwood Gym."**

~*~

Anju squealed as she realised that hers and Misty's bedrooms were adjoined. 

**"You and me, we gotta stick together sugar,"** she drawled, reminding Misty of a nice version of her cousin Linda. **"We being the only two girls in this Gym. Well, besides Chuck's wife, but she's just _so_ antisocial, atrocious hair too…"**

**"Do you have any Pokémon?"** Misty asked distractedly, as she unpacked her Memory Box and quickly kicked in under her chest of drawers. 

**"Who me? Nuh-uh sugar, my being here is to take Chuck's phone calls, and to keep the collection of StormBadges up. Never wanted to battle with Pokémon. Oh, they're cute an' all and I love watching battles…"** Anju's pretty voice droned on and on, bouncing straight off Misty's memory, that was already too full, of scenes, dialogues and people, she needed so desperately to forget. 

~*~

Blue, green, aquamarine.

Blue, green, aquamarine.

Ash swirled his toes in the heated water of the centre pool in the Cerulean City Gym, only half hearing Daisy and Violet arguing over what colour Misty's eyes were.

**"Does it really matter?!" **he wanted to yell…but he didn't. He just kept his eyes transfixed on his reflection in the pool. Officer Jenny had spent the whole morning interviewing him - did he LOOK like he knew where Misty was? If he knew, he'd be there with her instead of at the Cerulean Gym, feeling every hairline crack in his heart splinter over the surface as confusion battered against it. 

Brock tore himself away from the short-skirted Lily Waterflower, and squatted down next to Ash, choosing his words carefully.

**"So…"** he began simply. **"How do you feel?"** Suddenly Ash heaved a huge ornamental seashell that had been placed decoratively at the poolside into the water itself, shattering the glasslike texture of the calm water. The ripples ran jaggedly from the epicentre and grew until they had filled a large area of the pool.

**"Like that."**

**"Point taken…"** Brock sat in uncomfortably silence as Ash seemed to go back into hiding inside himself. The water calmed, and returned to a fairly tranquil state. **"Look Ash, you'll be alright. You just need some time. See? The water's calmed down."**

**"Yeah but it's not the same!"** Ash yelled, turning red, swollen eyes onto his friend. **"That bloody seashell is still under there, and all the water has mixed around. It's not the same…"**

**"Ash chill, we can take the seashell out of the pool!"** Ash remained in silence, and raggedly ran one arm over his face, to catch any tears that may have squeezed out.

**"But who's gonna take out the one from inside me?"** Brock had no answer, and could only provide a comforting presence to his tormented friend as they sat at the poolside in Cerulean Gym. The home Misty would never return to. 


	6. 

~*~

**CHAPTER FIVE**

****

~*~

Pikachu wailed. Brock sniffled. Ash rang up Tracey and Linda and they were upset too. Brock emailed Jo about it, and she rushed around to console Ash, but he sent her home, saying she could do nothing to help. He rang up his mom who wept openly on the videophone with everyone in the Pokémon Centre staring at her. But Ash didn't cry. Not anymore.

He didn't know how he felt. He knew he felt alone, when he sat on the couch watching the last few minutes of the last episode of "Vampire Princess Miyu" and suddenly realised that Misty didn't know how it ended. He felt alone when he lay alone in the huge bed, whose sheets were immaculately washed by her the previous weekend. 

And it hurt like hell when he reached over to the now empty side of the bed for a cuddle, and his arm hit nothing but cold air and a flattened pillow. 

So now what? Would he bury himself in his work? Find himself a new girlfriend? There was no shortage of trophy girlfriends fawning all over him because he was the Master. Or would he remain in this twilight half-existence, pining in silent shock over the soulmate that had vanished in the middle of the night?

Ash's young cousin was very fond of Misty, and obviously asked where she had gone. Ash answered the young girl that she had evaporated like water, and gone to live in a nice place with lots of Water Pokémon. The little girl seemed to accept this, and Ash began using the analogy that Misty was dead, and tried to put her out of his head. She hadn't been taken. She left him of her own free will… purposely left him without so much as a note. 

She couldn't have cared for him much after all.

A few weeks after Misty had gone, an article appeared in a local Southern Kanto newspaper, written by a new junior journalist called Messena. It was a report about the editor of the Daily Dodrio, giving evidence about…Ash's eyes homed in on the name: Misty Waterflower. Almost hungrily, he read the article, about the editor blackmailing his defenceless girlfriend, and thought guiltily back to him talking her in to taking the interview. He closed his eyes and felt his chest begin to thump heavily. Ash reached over, and picked up the phone.

Brock and Jo were there in under an hour. Silently, they listened to a distraught Ash waving the newspaper around and swearing. Finally, Ash collapsed on the sofa with a sob, and Jo soothingly rubbed his shoulder. Brock studied the newspaper and picked up the phone, dialling the paper's head office.

**"Hello, this is Isa how can I help you?"**

**"Um hi. This is Brock. I need to talk to one of your juniors. Messena?"**

**"One moment please I'll just patch you through sir." ** There were a few pips on the line.

**"Hello this is Messena."**

**"Hi Messena. I'm Brock, calling on behalf of Ash Ketchum." **There was a hesitation on the other line.

**"He read the article and wants to know what Carys Sonezaki was blackmailing his girlfriend with. I heard she ran away. I don't blame her. Could have got him in serious trouble if the authorities had found out…"** Messena said in a whisper, as she relayed the story quietly to Brock. Even his eyes widened as he realised. 

After replacing the phone, he turned round to an expectant audience, Ash with red eye. He opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly there was a thump at the door. Jo opened it hesitantly, and suddenly…there she was. All strawberry blonde hair and revealing clothes, although the glasses from when Ash had first met her were long since replaced with vivid blue coloured contact lenses. Misty's cousin, Linda Winhamall. Staggering behind Linda, under many humongous bags boxes of shoes, was a tuft of green hair and a red bandana. Brock relieved his old friend Tracey Sketchitt of his load, and he grinned sheepishly around at everyone. 

It was like some twisted reunion, Ash murmured to his subconscious. Everyone who was in their group at the time him and Misty had got together was now here…except Misty herself.

It was what had happened between Linda and Tracey that was confusing. As far as everyone knew, there was no romance between them, but Tracey lived with her in the metropolitan area of Goldenrod in Johto, and accompanied her to social functions and the like just like a husband would. Ash was dismayed to find himself envying his friend's semi-relationship.

Drinks were handed out, by demand of Linda, and everyone sat down. Ash was ready to rip Linda's throat out – he'd never liked her anyway. Brock looked around.

**"Ash are you ready to hear this?"** Ash nodded slowly. Brock took a deep breath. **"Linda, I suppose you could help me explain this story. What did Misty's father work as?"** Linda's face brightened.

**"Oh, he was a famous Water Pokémon Trainer…he was always invited to these wonderful parties and Auntie Nadesico always brought me along…"**

**"Yes Ash,"** Brock interrupted Linda's inappropriate trip down Memory Lane. **"Misty's father was very famous. In fact, for a little while, way before you and Misty, even I was born…when he was a very young man…he was a Master."** There were gasps from Jo and Tracey, and a yawn from Linda. Ash shook his head…he didn't understand.

**"Ash,"** Tracey began slowly. **"Misty was trained by her father originally, and anyway, she has his Water Pokémon genes. Misty trained you…" **Ash half resented that remark, but he knew it was true, at least for the beginning of his journey. But then, achingly slowly, something came back to him. A very serious rule in the Indigo League. His mouth opened wide in shock.

**"And if the League Board found out that connection to a Master I could be…disqualified…all my Badges…my title, everything…"** he recited in shock. Everyone nodded. 

**"Incidentally,"** Brock continued. **"Her father had an affair and her mother killed him, and then the mistress killed the mother…it was all in Misty's records; they originally kept it out of the press because of his former status."** Ash could only sit in shock. His poor, poor baby…having to go through all that at god knows what young age. **"They found that whilst researching for the interview, and Misty must have been so afraid they'd find out it was her father who was the only recorded Water Master, and get you disqualified…she must have just panicked and fled…"** Ash jumped up angrily.

**"But doesn't she know that she means more to me than that stupid title? I love her more than anything, especially those stupid lumps of metal!" **It pained him to talk that way about his beloved Badges, but it was true. **"Why didn't she tell me about it? We- we could have – talked about it – sorted it out…"** Ash was sobbing out his words now. Brock looked at him both cynically and sympathetically. 

**"Would you have let her go? And more importantly, did you ever tell her you loved her?" **

Ash just sobbed harder. 

**"She was only trying to protect me…" **

~*~

Five months after Misty ran away : December

~*~

Misty, ever so slowly, dragged the pink wax across her bottom lip as Anju danced around in the background, changing her mind about her clothes every 20 seconds. Bracing her hands on the dresser, Misty blinked, and peered into the mirror, deep into the tired, worn eyes of the girl in the reflection. Lazily she reached over for a tube of foundation, and set about concealing the purple semi-circles under each eye. 

A little flutter of excitement arose in her stomach – she hadn't had a proper night out since she left Pallet. 

Anju had long since bored of her own wardrobe, and was rummaging through Misty's. Upon hearing her friend squeal delightedly, Misty groaned.

_"She found the dress…"_ Sure enough, Anju flew backwards towards her, clutching one of Misty's dresses to her.

**"Sugar, don't you tell me you're not wearing this!"** Anju demanded, throwing a lavender coloured plait of hair over her shoulder. **"This dress…it's to DIE for!"** Misty looked up sadly, and let her gaze sweep the all too familiar dress she hadn't seen in over 5 months, and hadn't worn in over a year. 

**"I wore that on my seventeenth birthday party. It probably wouldn't fit me anymore…" **Anju twirled, watching the skirt of the dress billow softly. 

**"My gawd…this fabric…it's all so beautifully made! It musta cos you a bomb!" **Hergaze narrowed. **"What exactly did you work as before you came to Cianwood?"** Suddenly, a thought struck Anju. **"Hey, you're like my best friend Misty sugar, and I know nothing about you!"** Misty turned back to the mirror unhappily, offering no explanation about the custom-made dress that Ash had designed for her and paid one hell of a lot to be made. She had meant to leave all ties with him behind in her old life, but she couldn't bear to leave it. 

**"I was born in Cerulean City. I was orphaned at a young age and lived with my…" **She bit her lip. **"…aunt and cousin,"** she lied. **"Then when I was about 11 I went on a Pokémon journey and…and…um…went to live in…Blackthorn City when I finished it at 15…and then I just spent a few years um…drifting out of part time jobs before coming here. Nothing special really."** Anju looked sceptical. 

**"And the dress?"**

**"A very close friend made it for me. You can wear it if you want."** As Anju floated off to change, Misty felt like there was a block of ice in her stomach. _"Ash, Ash – ASH! Get out of my head! I don't want to think about you anymore."_

~*~

_"Who does this guy think he is?"_ Misty laughed to herself. _"Ten minutes ago he had his tongue so far down Anju's throat you couldn't see where she ended and he began, and now he's trying to chat me up!" _Anju appeared out of nowhere, totally drunk and with tinsel draped around her shoulders. Misty winced as she saw small stains on the front of her dress, and frowned at the horrible thumping of the music. It was Christmas Eve…did none of these "clubbers" have anywhere better to be? With family? With the people they love? 

_"Or maybe they're just like me. Lost and alone and surrounded by people in the place I live,"_ she thought sadly, as she inched away from the table.

It was such a long way away from last Christmas. Was it only a year ago? Misty could remember the night clearly and lovingly. It was the night she had given a very special piece of herself to Ash, and received the same gift from him. She had felt so warm, so happy and wanted as they laid in the bed afterwards with the curtains open, and the full moon basking the white sheets with a silver light. Their limbs were so intertwined it had been painful pulling away from each other the next morning. 

Delia's mother's old grandfather-clock in the hallway chimed midnight, and Ash blew at her fringe lovingly, then kissed her forehead and wished her a Merry Christmas. Of course, he still hadn't said that he loved her…and Misty had been half hoping he had been saving it for that special moment.

**"Ah! My wish came true! Hey beautiful, where have you been all the Christmases of my life?"** Misty blinked out of her memories. The speaker was a grinning young man, probably about a year older than her, with dark blue hair and a smile that reminded her of Ash's. She couldn't help smiling back. The man pointed upwards, at a sprig of mistletoe and he pouted. **"Pwease?"** Misty sighed heavily and kissed him on the cheek. He grinned even more. **"Well I guess I should introduce myself. I'm Jyou. Your future husband,"** he added slyly. Misty rolled her eyes.

**"And I'm recovering from a broken heart. Don't waste your time."**

**"But do you have a name fair maiden?"**

**"Misty."**

**"Ah. May I call you Myst-"**

**"NO you may not."**

**"Sore spot huh? Old boyfriend's nickname for ya?"** Misty glared at Jyou.

**"Look I don't need this."** Jyou looked her up and down.

**"Yes you do. You're desperately in need of closure. I can help! Please? Just one date is all I'm asking! I won't even expect sex!"** He laughed at Misty's furious face. **"I'm kidding! So how about it?"**

Misty felt herself nodding yes.


	7. 

~*~

**CHAPTER SIX**

****

~*~

Bathed in the extraordinarily beautiful starlight, Misty leant against the railing of the ship - the cool white metal startlingly cool and firm in her grasp for an object she sadly somehow knew was simply imagination. She had been having this dream for a while now. 

By day, she showed his memory no remorse, banishing every stray thought of Ash to her subconscious. But he came to her at night. As her body lay motionless and alone under her sheets, his memory flourished, and Misty could still feel the imprints from her fingertips, hear the echo of his voice and taste the reminiscence of his lips on hers…

But Misty didn't care if it was only a dream…if she knew it was only a dream. It was only a bittersweet knowledge after all. She knew she could never have the reality again, and in an odd way, she felt privileged to have ever been in that situation. Too many people went through life without knowing true love.

Shards of sunlight shattered the peaceful dream sequence, triggering a chain of events Misty knew all too well…it happened night after night - Misty would be swept overboard, while Ash blew her a kiss and walked away. But tonight, the wave didn't come…and her dream Ash continued to kiss her.

Then, Misty felt his hands press gently on her stomach, and pulled back uncertainly, staring the lonely heart's equivalent of Ash Ketchum in the eyes searchingly. He stared back sadly.

**"We could have been a family,"** he whispered. **"Misty, you know, you've always known how I really felt about you. How much I lov-"**

Misty woke with a start, her sleepy head filling with dismay as she felt her dream slip like a gossamer thread through her fingers as she reached for it blindly. Admitting defeat she sat up, rubbing her eyes. They were wet from tears - and her pillow even more so.

It was 4am Christmas morning.

Jo watched Ash down another glass like it was water. It was so unlike him - he never drank alcohol. He'd never started because Misty had made it clear she detested it. Tracey, Linda and Brock were all long since asleep; she had stayed awake for a very important reason - she had something to ask him.

**"Ash…"** she began haltingly. He looked up at her with bloodshot eyes. **"Before she, um, left, did Misty hint that she had a secret that she was going to tell you? A good secret,"** she added hurriedly. Ash stared at the murky liquid in his newly refilled glass, and as it he was suddenly waking up, he grimaced and pushed it away.

**"Yeah,"** he answered, smiling slightly. **"She told me she had a surprise for me…I had to do 5 adoring tasks for her before she said she's tell me…I was on number four…"** Jo edgily fidgeted with a ring she wore on one hand. 

**"I shouldn't be the one to tell you this…"** she muttered. **"But Misty didn't…and I think it's important you know this."** Ash looked up at her innocently and attentively. Jo noticed that if you didn't count the black peppered stubble that darkened his cheeks and chin, Ash really hadn't aged in the four years she'd known him. She took a deep breath, and hoped she was doing the right thing in telling him.

**"Ash, Misty was trying to tell you that she was pregnant."**

She searched Ash's face for a reaction…but there was none. **"It was yours…"** she added helpfully. Still there seemed to be no reaction. Ash's face was glazed over, his mouth partly open. Suddenly, his eyes clicked back into focus.

**"Oh my GOD!"** he bellowed, frightening Pikachu who was sleeping on a cushion nearby. His voice cracked as he cradled his head in his hands. **"What the hell have I done to her? Because of me, she can't have contact with her family and the people who love her, and she's out there with God-knows-who doing God-knows-what in God-knows-where…and also, cos of me, pretty soon she'll be a single mother! Oh…" **

Ash dissolved into tears again, as Jo sadly bit her lips together, as if to prevent further words escaping them. **"Hang on,"** Ash choked between sobs, **"I'm a daddy!"** he half laughed, half cried. Jo nodded her head in amusement, swept up in the moment and forgetting the other half of her knowledge. Ash was barely more than a child himself. **"You hear that Pikachu!?"** he yelled, excitedly. **"You're an…aunt? Pikachu-in-law? Cousin? Aw hell, I'm a DAD!"** Ash whirled around with newfound determination flashing in his dark eyes.

**"Alright! Let's find my future wife and my unborn child and get my life out of soap opera mode!"** he grinned, leaping characteristically over the back of the sofa.

Miles and miles away, in an apartment above the Gym on Cianwood Island, Misty pulled a tee shirt over her completely flat stomach.

~*~

Tracey had grinned widely and had heartily patted Ash on the shoulder, cheering,

_"I knew you were gonna knock her up one day!"_ Linda had been rather miffed at the fact her cousin hadn't told her first. Delia Ketchum had first berated her son in horror for "being careless", but as the news suck in, she almost bought out the entire stock of a nearby baby clothes store, exclaiming loudly to everyone within a five mile radius that her "son and daughter" were having a baby. 

Professor Oak acted normally, saying congratulations and asking them to call the baby "Samantha" if it was a girl. Gary was unattainable - probably off training in some mountains.

Brock had just looked confused - and a tad freaked out.

**"You two were…doing it?"** he asked weakly.

**"We share the same bed Brock,"** Ash pointed out patiently. Brock looked even worse.

**"B-but what does that have to do with anything? You two have shared beds loads of times…even when you two were 10 years old!"** Ash grinned and winked mischievously. Brock went ghostly white, and Ash laughed.

**"I'M JOKING!" **Brock looked slightly better.

**"Were you 16?"** he demanded. Ash looked surprised at the question and coloured slightly. 

**"Almost…"** he mumbled. Brock tutted in a superior manner. As Brock grew more and more in control, and grew less pale from the shock, yet slightly obvious news, that his two best friends had been having sex with each other, Ash grew redder and redder with embarrassment. 

**"How many times?"** Brock queried. Ash grinned mischievously again.

**"Just a couple of times -"** Brock looked relieved. **"- a night,"** Ash threw in casually. Brock spluttered and almost fell off his chair. **"You know for someone who pretends to know a lot about this stuff, you're awfully gullible Brock!"**

The truer version of the story emerged from Ash. The pair had lost their virginities on a Christmas Eve night. Ash recalled his longing to tell her how much he loved her with all his heart, but as usual, the words had stuck to the inside of his mouth, and fallen back down again. All he'd managed was to squeak out a lousy "Merry Christmas Myst." This was painfully embarrassing for him though…despite his loudness, Ash was a very shy person, especially when it came to things like this!

Now it was HORRIBLY embarrassing…Ash smiled as he imagined a heavily pregnant Misty shaking her fist at a group of reporters and exclaiming, _"You'd think this bump had a huge neon sign flashing 'Ash Ketchum knocked me up! Interview me!' written on it!"_

As well as the usual wave of how much he missed her there was a gush of certainty that he was going to find her, and she was going to rush into his arms like it was the most natural thing in the world, and like nothing had ever come between them. Of course he was going to find her before she had the baby, and everything would be…perfect.

From across the room, Brock and Jo watched Ash slip into candied daydreams with sadness on their faces. Jo turned to Brock and spoke in a hurried whisper.

**"Brock, do you know how hard it will be to find her?"** Brock nodded grimly. 

**"Yeah, and it's not like Misty's stupid or anything; if she doesn't wanna be found, she knows the things she needs to cover up…"** Brock glanced at Jo out of the corner of his eye. She bit her lip, a habit she had acquired from Misty, and shuffled in her seat.

**"Brock, I saw her,"** she whispered urgently. Brock looked up in disbelief. 

**"Saw her? When?"**

**"Christmas shopping in Goldenrod. She was with some girl with purple hair who was practically drowning herself in those free perfume samples."**

**"Did you talk to her?"**

**"Couldn't get the chance. She left the shop - there were people in the way…but it was her. That I'm 100% sure of. But Brock…Brock she didn't have a bump…she's supposed to be 7 months pregnant by now, and she didn't have a bump."** Brock looked confused.

**"But you said she was pregnant…"**

**"She was, we were so so so sure. She took that pregnancy test six times, and then she even went to a doctor and he confirmed it too…"** She turned her cornflower blue eyes, the lids laden with a shimmery green powder, onto Brock. He felt his insides melt. In the four years he'd known her, his crush on the pretty, yet different Nurse Joy hadn't faded. Jo bit her lip again, smudging some of her trademark black lipstick onto her teeth. Brock shook his head adamantly.

**"No! She would never have…"** he murmured immediately. **"She was so…against…"** he gulped. **"Things like…"**

**"Abortion?"** Jo breathed. Suddenly Ash bounded over from where he had been talking to Linda and Tracey and dropped presents wrapped in gauzy wrapping paper in Jo's and Brock's laps. 

**"Merry Christmas!"** he squealed, like a five year old; ill-disguised excitement in his voice. 

**"Heh, wow Ash,"** Brock laughed half-heartedly. **"It's sure great to see you back to your old self again!"**

**"Yup!"** Ash grinned widely, sinking down onto the sofa, clutching Pikachu to him. **"I just LOVE Christmas!"**

~*~

(One month later - Cianwood)

~*~

Anju scowled openly at Jyou from across the room. Misty rolled her eyes; she could practically hear Anju's thoughts - after all, she heard them voiced often enough.

_"Oh sugar, he's not the one for you and you know it - you two just look…wrong together ya know?"_

Misty always wondered if maybe Anju knew more about her past and Ash than she let on, but she knew that was impossible.

But despite Anju's warnings, she and Jyou were officially a couple. Sometimes, a little voice inside Misty, the one that had been telling her to stay with Ash in the first place, told her that she only coupled herself with Jyou because she was trying to force herself to get over Ash…

Anju uncrossed her long legs and strode over to grab the TV guide off the coffee table in the communal sitting room the two girls shared. Taking care of her long, gold painted fingernails, Anju leafed through the pages looking bored. Jyou sat on the sofa texting someone on a mobile phone. Misty sat by the steamed up window, drawing three happy people sitting on a blob with a Lapras shell with the tip of her finger. Suddenly, Jyou's voice broke the silence.

**"Anju, check what time the Indigo League finals are on tomorrow will ya?"** A sigh escaped Misty, shuddering her entire body as she swept her palm over the wet window, annihilating her art. 

**"The commentary starts noon, the match at half twelve,"** she yawned, placing the TV guide cover down on the table. **"It's that sweet little 12 year old girl with the killer Politoed verses the Master right?"** Jyou nodded; Misty stared out of the tiny smear she'd cleared in the window. Jyou stood up and pulled his coat on.

**"I've gotta go baby,"** he said, kissing Misty on the cheek. **"I'll see you tomorrow okay?" **

**"Oh I'm going to be out tomorrow," **Misty bluffed. 

**"Out where?"**

_"Out a million miles away from any television,"_ she thought. 

~*~

Anju shuffled into the living room in her dressing gown and slippers the next morning, to find a note taped to the TV from Misty, saying that she'd gone off to do some special training. Shrugging her shoulders, Anju reached over to grab the TV guide, but found it was gone. Cursing under her breath, Anju walked yawning into Misty's bedroom to find the desired magazine in several pieces on Misty's bed. In fact, the only page that was still intact was the front cover, a profile shot of the Pokémon Master, Ash Ket-something or other. 

On closer inspection, Anju found that Misty had simply torn out the 8 page interview and life history of Ash Ket-something or other, and crumpled them into balls, and seemingly flung them around the room. Bemused, Anju walked around the bedroom and picked them up. Misty was sure acting weird lately. 


	8. 

~*~

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

****

~*~

**"What is your problem?!"** Ash's publicity manager screeched, making Ash's still slightly alcohol-induced headache twinge sharply. Ash just stared at him blankly. Even if Ash explained, he doubted this man would understand. This man was nothing but a suit; a suit with muddled priorities. 

~*~

Misty lazily scratched her stomach and then yanked down her white wool jumper back down.

**"Okay Togetic,"** she yawned, stretching her arms above her head. **"Show me a Psychic attack on that tree stump over there."** Togetic chirped gleefully at her Trainer, who was laying on her back on the soft grass. Togetic was happy, because for a change, Misty herself seemed happy and perfectly at ease. She hadn't been like that in a long time…not since they left the pretty white house where Pikachu had looked after her.

Togetic did as she was told, and released a strong wave of pulsing violet energy towards the rotting stump, obliterating it in seconds. Togetic fluttered her transparent wings and rose slightly into the air, twirling around to receive praise from Misty; but the red-head made no movement, and on closer inspection, she was asleep, her even breathing gently making her chest rise and fall. 

Togetic fluttered around, unsure of what to do. Quietly, she hovered above her Trainer's familiar face. Her Trainer…it had been so long since she had last thought of her as her "mother". Evolution - it had been so traumatic. The moment she was, as a Togepi, engulfed in the light, and felt her molecules transferring, and her wings sprouting out of her back, realisation had hit her…Misty was a human, and she was a Pokémon…Misty wasn't her mother. But that didn't mean that Togetic loved her any less. She enjoyed the solitude in her Pokéball, and seeing her place in Misty's arms refilled by Pikachu's Trainer. 

Settling down on the grass, Togetic yawned widely. She wasn't the cleverest of Pokémon, but she knew that there was something wrong. She remembered. Back in her life in the pretty white house, where Misty had placed her tiny hand on her stomach, and Togetic had felt something moving inside, and had tried to attack it. 

Misty had patiently explained that a little version of her and Ash would come out of her stomach soon…but for some reason it hadn't. Togetic looked sleepily across at Misty, then walked over and hooked the wool of the jumper in her long thin fingers, and placed the other hand on Misty's stomach. There was no movement, until Misty herself sat up abruptly. Togetic looked at her Trainer, confused. 

**"Oh, sorry Togetic, I didn't get much sleep last night. Okay, good girl - return!" **Togetic allowed the red beam from the button on her Pokéball to hit her, and was sucked back into confinement. Misty stretched out her sleepy muscles, and released Quagsire from it's ball. **"Okay Quagsire,"** she began, standing up. **"Rock Smash that boulder."**

~*~

A few days later, Misty walked into the sitting room, to find Anju pounding the television set desperately.

**"What's wrong now?" **

**"The damn thing's not working,"** Anju cursed. **"I guess we're lucky it didn't go on the blink before the League finals…oh yeah, you didn't see them did you! It was SO-"**

**"I don't want to know,"** Misty said, sternly.

**"But sugar, it was so unexpe-"**

**"NO!"** Anju, startled by the force in her friend's normally placid and warm voice, visibly shrank back. 

**"Okay point taken…"** Misty rubbed her temple and murmured an apology, crossing to the front door. **"Where are you going?"**

**"Jyou's…to um, watch TV. See you later Anju."** The front door slammed, leaving Anju even more confused. If Misty had a crush on that Ash Ket- something or other, then why didn't she watch the League Finals? It wasn't just the fact that Anju had a noisy nature that led her into Misty's dark bedroom, but also the fact that she was worried about her friend. 

Misty's room was tidy, and had various Water Pokémon posters, and articles about Lorelei, the Ice Master from a few years back, whom Anju knew as sort of an idol to Misty. 

**"Where is it…"** Anju mumbled to herself. She could picture the scene perfectly. Misty unpacking after she got the job here…Anju was sitting on her bed, and Misty unpacked a box which she had… **"…kicked under the chest-of-drawers!"** Anju recollected, triumphantly. Falling to all fours, Anju grabbed the large wooden box and heaved it from underneath the piece of furniture. Anju's perfectly manicured fingers practically trembled with excitement - in this simple box - would she find all the secrets of Misty's secret past?

~*~

Misty returned Lapras, and sauntered along the mainland shore of Olivine City. Discreetly, she waved at Jasmine, the highly respected GymLeader there, who waved back. Misty made her way, walking quickly to Goldenrod City, and from there took the Magnet Train to Saffron City. A 10 minute walk from the station, and she was on the outskirts of a place very familiar to her.

Cerulean City.

Misty suddenly turned even more paranoid, looking all around her in case she was spotted…she didn't know why anyone from her old life, excluding her sisters, would be walking around Cerulean City at 8 in the morning, but you never know. She didn't even know why she'd come - wait, yes she did. The Medicine Man on Cianwood was friendly enough, but she needed a real doctor, and she knew that she could trust her family doctor not to tell anyone anything. 

Cerulean General Hospital. Misty gulped, and entered the cool white building, asking for Dr Warner.

~*~

Anju sat crosslegged in the middle of the sitting room, with Misty's box in front of her. Carefully, she lifted off the lid, and grabbed the first thing she came to, which was a wad of pictures, kept together with a kid's purple hair tie, with a few orange hairs stuck to it's fabric. 

The first one was of a young girl, no more than 13, with startling teal eyes and orange hair pulled up into a tomboyish lopsided ponytail. It was obviously Misty, but there was something different about the eyes. Misty's eyes were pretty, but the eyes in the picture sparkled in a way that Anju had never seen the present ones do. 

Clutched in the laughing girl's arms was a Pokémon, that Anju guessed to be the unevolved form of Togetic, as it looked similar, and in the background was a boy, slightly older, with longish green hair pulling a stupid face. The overall background to this picture was a sparkling tropical ocean. 

After gazing at the picture for several moments, Anju went to put it to one side, and noticed a version of Misty's cursive handwriting on the back of the photograph. "Me, Togepi and Tracey - September 1999 - taken on an island off the coast of Mandarin." 

Curiously, Anju put that picture to one side, and looked at the next. It was of a couple Anju easily recognised as Misty's parents. The next set of photos were all of Misty's family. 

Then, suddenly, the pictures became newer again; and had the same sparkling eyed Misty with various Pokémon or people. The green haired boy appeared again, and a tall boy with slitted eyes and spiky hair appeared frequently too. Sighing, Anju placed the pictures to the side. What was she expecting? Some magical picture that would clear up why Misty was such a nutcase sometimes? 

She picked idly through objects that obviously had great sentimental value to Misty. But meant nothing to Anju herself; such as the receipt for some expensive dinner at a French restaurant in the Indigo Pokémon League Village from about 5 years ago.

Pokémon League Village? Had Misty been in the Pokémon League as a younger Trainer? Just as she was about to give up, Anju found a tattered and dog-eared, large brown envelope, with one simple word written on it:

ASH

~*~

Dr Warner finished prodding and probing Misty, and turned to jot down some notes. Misty sat on the cold table, dreading the fact that he hadn't asked her, and dreading the fact that he would. Sure enough, Dr Warner turned to the young girl he had treated as a baby, and who's sisters he still treated to this day. He cleared his throat and tried to look even more compassionate. 

**"Misty?"**

**"Hmmm?"**

**"Where's your baby Misty?"** Dr Warner didn't know what answer he was expecting, but was answered with tears. 

~*~

Anju could have sworn the world had slowed down - Ash? As in…Ash Ket-something or other? Had Misty known him? Or had she done something crazy like stalked him? Cautiously, she reached in, and grabbed yet more photos. The first one was very old, and bent in many places; the white fold lines crisscrossing and ruining the effect of the picture.

It had two figures in it…one was Misty. A very young Misty, only about 10 or 11, with her hair down, and above shoulder length, and wearing a pretty pink kimono with various patterns. The other figure was a boy with spiky and untidy black hair and dark eyes. He was wearing a mint green kimono and looked about the same age as the young Misty. He had one arm looped loosely around her waist, as it the photographer had caught the two in the middle of dancing, and with the other hand was being used to make a rather rude gesture. But the boy's face was happy and kind looking, and his smile was wide and genuine. Misty had one hand clasped around the fingers of the hand around her waist and her response to the photographer was to stick out her tongue. 

As Anju searched through the photographs, the couple grew older, and soon Anju, even with her limited League knowledge, could recognise and verify the boy as Ash Ket- something or other, and from some scribbled notes on backs of the pictures, it was Ash Ketchum. About a quarter of the way through the pile, when the kids looked about 14 or 15, they seemed to get closer. In many of the younger pictures they were hitting each other or yelling, but in these pictures they would have arms around each other, until soon, there was a picture that verified Anju's suspicions…a Misty only slightly younger than she was now sitting on a sofa with Togetic and a Pikachu either side, and Ash standing behind the sofa, leaning over and kissing her. There were several other people from other photos in this picture as well. 

Anju didn't understand. So Misty had dated Ash Ketchum? They had known each other from a very young age? Then why was she here? Why didn't she watch him on TV? Why didn't she tell anyone, even Anju? Anju packed the stuff neatly back into the box and replaced it under Misty's bureau. Suddenly, she wished she'd never looked in it. 


	9. 

~*~

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

****

~*~

Anju swallowed deeply. Now she really, really wished she'd never opened that damned box. Or all the drawers in Misty's room. Or looked in that photo album she'd found hidden in Misty's wardrobe…

Misty's keys rattled at the lock, and Anju's deep cerise eyes swept from the trembling square of photographic paper clutched in her fingers to the doorway. Misty slid indoors carrying a shopping bag from the Goldenrod department store and wearing a watery smile. 

Misty stared at her friend, who was sitting unmoving on the sofa holding a photograph so tightly in her grasp the tips of her fingers were pure white. Anju's dark pink eyes stared back from beneath a barrier of lilac hair and long black eyelashes. 

**"Anju?"** Misty asked cautiously, as she dropped her keys on the nearby table and allowed her shopping bag to slide slowly to the floor. **"Anything wrong?"** Anju didn't reply. Misty felt her temper stir and she grunted in annoyance as she strode over to the sofa; feeling strangely uncomfortable under Anju's penetrating gaze.

Protectively, she crossed her arms and drew herself up to her full height - a habit that had stuck with her since her childhood fights with…him. She'd always taken her extra height as an advantage until he had outgrown her.

**"Don't act all considerate with me Misty Waterflower!"** Anju exploded into voice and practically leapt up from the sofa. **"If that is your real name!"** Misty stared at Anju; she didn't know what was going on. Even though Misty was the taller of the two girls definitely, Anju, with her thick purple hair curled up into balls on each side of her head, and wearing an accusing scowl on her lips seemed at her most formidable. Then Misty chuckled wearily; she was so tired of it all.

**"What do you mean? Of course it's my real name idiot!" **Startled by Misty's easy-going front, Anju faltered for a second, then turned and grabbed the picture from the sofa.

**"What is this?"** she inquired steadily, still glaring. Misty disguised her shock at seeing the picture, and looked at Anju with bored, teal eyes.

**"It's a sonogram picture? So?"** Anju's eyes flashed.

**"It's your sonogram picture Misty."** Misty's mouth twitched. 

**"It's not mine! I haven't…haven't got a b-baby…!"** Anju stabbed the corner of the black and white photograph with her index finger nail.

**"See here? MisKetc, 12/13/04. This is your baby. Misty Ketchum."** Anju had guessed the reaction to this would have been dramatic, but Misty simply stood there, but tightened her hands into fists at that surname. 

**"My name, Anju Kunésaki, is Misty Waterflower,"** she retaliated, through equally tight lips. Then Misty sank to the sofa, pressing her bare knees together. There was silence for a moment, except for Anju's heavy breathing as pity and the basis of her friendship with Misty began to pick away at her anger. 

**"Er, Misty…"** But Misty spoke again, quietly.

**"Why are you so angry at me? What have I done?"** Anju stood in silence, her breathing evened. Misty reached out and plucked the picture from her friend's fingers. Softly, she rubbed her fingertips over the edges of the corners as she stared at the black and white swirl that had been her baby. Biting her bottom lip, she briefly indulged herself in a memory, where she wasn't 18 and feeling sticky photographic paper under her fingertips, but she was 14, and she was feeling a satiny texture of white rose petals instead. 

**"I-I-"** Anju began. Sighing, she sat down next to Misty, and awkwardly put her arm around the girl. **"I guess I just was a bit shocked and annoyed that you didn't tell me sugar…"** Misty nodded.

**"I did have a baby,"** she began, waving the picture gently, her voice oddly strained. **"Poor baby. My poor, poor baby…"** A half stifled sound of anguish escaped her throat, and Anju felt her shudder. Misty turned to Anju; her eyes seemed brighter than usual; bright with tears that hadn't been shed for years. 

**"Do you want to tell me this Misty?"** Misty nodded assuredly. Anju noted with concern that Misty's cheeks were flushed and her breathing was oddly irregular. Suddenly, one lone tear slid down Misty's flushed cheek, leaving a thin meandering sliver.

**"I must be the only missing person…who nobody misses at all…"**

~*~

Ash caught Brock's eye over the top of his advertising agent's head and made a gesture signifying just how bad that guy's toupeé was. Brock smiled. It was great to have the old Ash back; the Ash standing across the room from him right now, who was pointedly ignoring Mr Bad-Toupeé and talking loudly to Pikachu. 

**"Mr Ketchum!"** the Suit spluttered, his entire face bright red and flecks of saliva flying from his gaping mouth onto his grey suit jacket. **"Can you not comprehend what you have done? Never before has the Indigo League encountered this in their Master!"** The pitched, whiny voice droned on and on, but Ash seemed to get calmer and calmer.

A few minutes later, Ash walked out of the office with Brock and Jo. Ash sauntered his way down the familiar white painted corridor with Pikachu balanced on his hat, and his friends followed cautiously behind him. Ash's lips pursed up into a whistle, and soon Brock could recognise it as the theme song for a favourite TV programme of Ash and Misty's during their early teen years. 

A tall figure with flashing glasses stopped Ash as he walked past her. Lorelei flipped her thick purple ponytail over her shoulder, and adjusted her glasses on the bridge of her nose as she shook Ash's hand and congratulated him for doing the thing that she herself had wanted to for countless years. Ash slid one arm behind his head and sweatdropped in embarrassment as the idolised Ice Pokémon Master poured compliments on him, before sashaying down the hallway, leaving Brock drowning in his own drool.

~*~

A few days later, the early morning light fell serenely onto the videophone in the Ketchum residence, bypassing the lumps on the sofas that were Jo and Brock. Their even breathing at different intervals was almost musical. The whole house was peaceful, until…

RING RING RING! RING RING RING! PHONECALL! PHONECALL! 

Rousing from sleep instantly, and skidding into the hallway wearing a teeshirt, boxers and a single sock, Ash frantically punched the button in excitement. The screen remained blank, but a pretty sounding southern accented voice pealed from the speakers.

**"Um, hello there, may I speak to Ash Ketchum please?" **

**"Er yeah he's me…"** Ash said curiously, as he tried to match the unfamiliar voice to a face. **"Do you mind if I turn the videophone on?"**

**"Oh no, go ahead,"** the voice affirmed. Ash flicked the small switch, and the screen flickered into life, revealing a young girl about his age with light purple hair in thick waves around her heart shaped face, intense cerise eyes and slender fingers holding the phone receiver close to her ear. Her face broke into relief. **"Oh thank God it's you!"** she exclaimed. **"You wouldn't believe what I've gone through to find you!" **

Even though the girl was excited, Ash could plainly hear that she appeared to be trying to keep her voice down. Ash looked over at the digital clock nearby.

**"And you're ringing me at five in the morning why? Who are you?"** The girl's mouth opened in a form of surprise that turned into a happy smile.

**"Yes I can see it,"** she murmured. **"You two…fit…"** Ash stared at her pointedly. **"My name is Anju Kunésaki, and I'm the receptionist at the Cianwood Fighting Pokémon Gym." **Ash nodded for her to continue. **"I've been searching for you for a few days now Mr Ketchum."**

**"Why have you been searching for me?"** Ash asked half warily. Anju smiled happily again, but this time with content.

**"I think I have something that belongs to you."**


	10. 

~*~

**CHAPTER NINE**

****

~*~

Misty yawned, and studied her long, bare nails intently. Jyou sat on the sofa next to her, playing with that damn phone again. Anju was stalking up and down by the front door, glancing at her watch, to the clock, and to Jyou. Suddenly, the clock chimed twelve and Anju straightened up as if she had been shot.

**"Ooh, time for my shift, see ya later guys!"** she warbled, as she practically ran down the hallway. Jyou, for once, shifted his attention to Misty.

**"Fixed the TV yet hun?"** he asked. Misty nodded wordlessly, as Jyou reached over for the remote. The screen pinged on, showing a female Pikachu in her den, with two newborn Pichu snuggled close to her warm body, and one un-hatched orange striped egg sitting nearby, covered in camouflaging leaves. Misty looked away; but then the announcer started speaking, as a male Pikachu hopped onto the screen.

**"Pikachu, the Electric Mice Pokémon may produce up to five Pichu eggs in the wild, but if bred in captivity, only one will be produced, as with all Pokémon," **the deep voiced man said. **"Pikachu are excellent parents, and it is very uncommon for any of this litter to die. Pikachu mate for life, and if they are separated from their mate; if it is captured, of if it dies, then the remaining Pikachu will not mate again."**

**"Aw cute,"** murmured Jyou, as he shoved the corner of a baguette into his mouth. Misty squeezed her eyes so tightly shut, her head hurt, but then she opened them again, startling slits of blue and green. 

**"Jyou?"** she muttered softly.** "We need to talk."**

~*~

An hour later

~*~

Ash stood outside the modest apartment door, the small silver key Anju had given him, shaking in his hand. Ash swallowed, but it didn't do his dry throat any good. Fidgeting, he scratched the side of his nose, then brought that hand down to his jeans to wipe off the accumulating sweat. 

Okay it's just Misty…

JUST Misty? 

Ash held his hand steady as he opened the door a crack and peered in. There she was. Just suddenly…there. She was sitting on the floor with her back to him, leafing through a magazine and eating a chocolate bar. The scene was so familiar to him he felt like crying. He shuffled through the door, but she didn't heed him, thinking it was Anju. Feeling braver, Ash kicked off his trainers, making as much noise as he could. Walking closer, his face broke into a grin.

**"Hey Misty you're never gonna guess what kinda Pokémon I saw today!"**

**"Hmmm? What Po-"** Suddenly Misty stopped, as she realised what she was doing. Her shoulders shuddered violently, and she whirled around, her mouth open with shock.

**"What have you done to your hair!"** Ash teased. Misty's expression of shock, rapidly turned to anger. Her teeth clenched.

**"Get out."**

**"Whaaaa?"**

**"You heard me."**

**"Myst?"**

**"Don't call me that! Just go! Leave me alone! I don't ever want to see you again!" **She turned her back on him, her shoulders still shuddering. Ash just stood there, confused. Then his eyes wandered down to her flat stomach.

**"Misty what happened to the baby?"** She turned around gain, the teal eyes he loved so much wide open with surprise.

**"How do you know about the baby?"**

**"Jo…"**

**"Cuh, figured. Well Mr Ketchum as you can see, there is no baby so just go away," **she ordered, her voice cold, but cracking. She turned away again.

_"Oh his eyes, I just can't look at him. I hate him so much, but every time I see him looking so hurt I just…"_

**"Listen Misty, I know why you're doing this,"** Ash stated, cockily. **"You don't have to protect me anymore! I'm not the Master! I gave up my title, just for you! I know about your father, and what you did for me!"** There was no response from Misty but a twitch of an eyebrow. **"You can come home with me, back to Pallet Town now Misty!"** Ash reached out to touch her, but she jerked away, and jumped up.

**"You stay away from me!"** she yelled, her legs shaking as much as the arm that held the pointed, accusing finger. **"Stay away! From me, from Anju, from this Gym, just STAY AWAY FROM ME! You've ruined my life! I never, ever want to see you again!"** In disbelief, Ash reached out his hand again, and Misty heaved her half eaten chocolate at him. Ash glowered at her as he wiped the chocolate off his cheek.

**"Oh yeah, nice to see you've matured,"** he said bitterly. He had no idea what was going on. So he asked her.

**"What's going on? Oh you're still as dense as you ever were - didn't you hear me the last million times? You have ruined my life Ash Ketchum!"**

**"Wait a minute, I never asked you to run off like that! Don't try and blame your stupid idea on me this time!"** Misty shifted.

**"It's a good thing I did leave then, because now I know a lot more about you Ash, and I know that I'd never be able to spend my life with you." **

**"But why?"** Ash said sadly, but still trying to sound angry.** "What did I do?"**

**"It wasn't what you did, but rather what you didn't do,"** Misty said, through her gritted teeth, as her hands moved up into fists by her ribs. **"You never came to look for me. All that crap you said about staying together forever, and how nothing would come between us - bullshit!"** Ash blinked. Misty never swore that badly. Misty swung her fists onto her thighs, and let her head hang, and her tears that she had tried to stop in vain drip to the carpeted floor. **"All that stuff Anju said the other day about me being so brave to give up everything for you - I think I only did it because I knew, well I thought in my heart that you would come and get me, find me, save me, and tell me everything was going to be okay, and that you lo-" **Misty stopped, and lifted her head up to glare angrily at Ash again.

**"I only found out why you left a little while ago Myst! Honest! Pikachu said she saw you go, so I thought you must have left because you wanted to, and I cared about you enough to leave you alone! You broke my heart."**

**"Oh yeah,"** Misty sneered. **"You looked really broken hearted all those times the tabloids took pictures of you with Miss-Big-Titted-Supermodel, or Miss-Peroxide-Blonde-Talentless-Singer!" **Ash glared at her, unable to keep resentment out of the gaze.

**"Oh please, you're just picking at me. You know just as well as anyone that their agencies pay mine so they can be seen with me! I take one picture with them outside a premiere, or a battle, and then they're gone! I never see them again, and I sure as hell don't want to!"** Misty stared at her slowly unclenching fists. **"Are you going to tell me what happened to the baby or not?"** he yelled. 

Suddenly, Misty was wracked with a sob that brought tears to his own eyes, and he reached for her again. He wrapped her in his arms and rested his lips against her hair as she cried. Suddenly, she straightened up, and pushed him roughly away.

**"Our baby?"** she cried, only a few steps away. **"You, you and your stupid Badges and title killed our baby. If it wasn't for you it'd still be alive!"** Ash stood there shaking.

**"How is it my fault?"** he bellowed, tears falling freely from his furious dark eyes. **"For the last time, I didn't tell you to, or make you leave!" **

**"How could I have done anything else Ash?"** Misty cried. **"I had convinced myself that I,"** her mouth twisted up in a sneer at the word, **"loved you, and that I'd do anything for you. You couldn't fool me, no matter what you'd have said. I've known you only an hour or so less than Pikachu, before you were a proper Trainer. I watched you win every single Badge and League, and I knew that your dream of being a Master, even if you'd already accomplished it, was always going to be number one in your priorities list. But God, oh God Ash,"** she wailed. **"It broke my heart. It changed me, so if you came here looking for 'your' Misty, she's not here. It was 'your' Misty who couldn't sleep at night for the first six months; it was 'your' Misty who waited and waited for you to come and save her; it was 'your' Misty who had to bury your stillborn baby in the middle of the night. And do you know what? The doctor said the baby was born four months early because of stress, and do you know who caused me that stress Ash Ketchum? You. You!"**

Ash's chest thumped painfully, and he gasped for breath for no reason at all. 

**"Don't try to blame this on me Misty,"** he yelled.

**"It's your fault!"**

**"Huh, talk about me being as dense as I used to be, it seems that you, are still the spoilt brat you've always been Misty Waterflower!"** Angrily, Ash aimed a kick at the sofa, which teetered backwards a few inches before thumping to the floor again. Furious at her, and everything else, he violently grabbed his shoes and stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door so that the whole room shook and loose pages of Misty's magazine flew all around the room. 

Outside in the hallway, Ash leaned back against the door, feeling the cold air calm his flushed face. His tears began again; not angry ones this time, but slow, sobbing tears of pain. He let his trainers, which he had been holding by the laces, fall to the floor as he raised his hands to cover his face.

**"My family…"** he whispered into his palms. After a minute or so, he collected himself and lurched down the hallway, unhearing the echo of his tears from inside the apartment. 


	11. 

~*~

**CHAPTER TEN**

****

~*~

The weeks went by, and the weather got warmer; instead of grey skies, people woke to stretches of blue. May - it was the time of year when the parks were full of sweethearts sharing ice creams and people dug in their drawers for their sunglasses. 

The word 'Misty' was now taboo around Ash Ketchum, who regressed to a scowling, sulking brat for half the time, and a daydreaming young man who simply didn't know what to do with himself for the rest. Tracey still communicated with Anju, so he knew from that link that Misty was well, but he didn't know if he cared anymore. 

Linda's 20th birthday approached; slowly, the annoying way these types of things tend to do. Large and stiff white envelopes with golden gilded edges slid through the letter boxes of the cottage in Pallet, the Pewter Gym and the Pokémon Centre in Lavender Town, as well as many other residences. Tracey was dragged to half a million clothes shops, as Linda pondered the perpetually hard decision of what to wear. 

The anniversary of the baby's birth, and death came, just a few days before Linda's birthday, and far to the west of Pallet, Misty sat in her apartment on Cianwood Island and stared herself in the mirror. 

What was the point? Seriously? What was the point? Her baby was dead, her whole life turned upside down, and when her knight in shining armour had finally come to save her from herself… she chased him away.

Misty Waterflower eyed the reflected teal swirls in the dark mirror, too tired to draw her curtains to allow proper light into her sanctuary. Yes. Yes, there were a lot of differences, even in her appearance from two years ago, but she was still the same person. 

Oh and Jyou. Poor Jyou. He had tried to tell her that he loved her. She could still picture his excited light brown eyes, She simply couldn't do that to him any longer. 

Disregarding her reflection, Misty rolled over on the bed. She raised the back of her hand to cover her yawning mouth instinctively, as she stretched, and arched her back by pushing her shoulder blades towards each other. She had way too many memories with Ash - it was stupid of her to think she could ever forget him. Which left her with two choices…

Misty smiled her smug little half smile, which hadn't graced her cheeks for so long, that she felt her muscles protesting very slightly. Stupid plan - one worthy of Ash indeed! Oh well. Worth a shot.

Feeling what seemed like a burst of energy in her legs, like she hadn't felt in years, Misty leapt from her bed and broke into a grin. Too bad if Ash was pissed at her - she was going home! Giggling, Misty slid into the living room, calling Anju's name. 

~*~

Man that was one ugly punch bowl…

Ash groaned and shook his head lightly. God, now he was offended about the pattern on Linda's bowl…ugh. He glanced around. Tracey and Linda were the only people in the room he knew, but it was early yet. Tracey looked sympathetically at Ash from across the room, but Linda had a firm grip around his arm and they both knew he wasn't going anywhere. 

Ash stared down at his wrists. He was wearing a pale blue shirt and trousers. No tie. Linda had glowered at him when he had walked in. But Ash only wore a tie for one girl.

[::=START FLASHBACK=::]

_Ash sat on the sofa, picking uncomfortably at his shirt cuffs. He hated wearing suits. He stopped fidgeting as the bathroom door opened quietly and Misty stepped out, looking equally uncomfortable. She was wearing a simple navy dress cut above her knees. She had let down her hair (secretly because she knew Ash liked it down) and for the first time in her life she had applied a tiny smudge of blue eye-shadow._

_Misty laughed at Ash's face. He was gazing at her, awestricken. Usually, just the hair down was enough to make his resolve melt away, but as he looked at her now, he felt the last of his wall crumble away for good. She looked beautiful, and for once he didn't care if he thought so._

[::=END FLASHBACK=::]

Ash groaned as the evil word surfaced again. He would have started banging his head on the highly polished table, or maybe just dunked it in the lumpy pink liquid in the punch bowl, but gratefully, he heard Jo's familiar soft voice, gently reprimanding someone for scaring a little girl. Eagerly, he lifted his head to see Jo and Brock…and a young thin girl with waist length lilac hair pulled back into a half-ponytail.

Anju walked nervously into the large room, looking around curiously. In her hands, complete with gold painted fingernails, she held a plain grey videotape. Walking a few steps in front of Jo and Brock, who were exchanging apprehensive glances, Anju stopped directly in front of Ash. 

**"Hi. Remember me? Anju?"** Ash nodded suspiciously, and Anju saw his eyes dart hopefully to the doorway, and then the hope in them fade, as he saw no one else there. **"I have to give you this,"** she said, indicating the tape with a flick of her wrist. Ash put out his hand for it, but Anju hesitated, and withdrew the tape protectively. 

**"What?"** asked Ash.

**"You have to promise to watch all of it, 'kay? Do you promise? And on your own?" **

Ash nodded seriously, and took the tape curiously. Okay no prizes for guessing it was from Misty…Ash felt anger boil up inside him and his fingers clenched down hard on the cornered plastic. Tracey shepherded him into his bedroom, where there was a VCR, and then left Ash alone, as Anju had instructed him to. 

Ash pushed the tape into the machine with the bottom of his palm as he perched on the end of the bed, and patted around the bedcovers with his other hand blindly for the remote control. The screen flickered into life with a faint 'zup' sound. Ash pressed the small triangle rubber button, and there was a click as the video began to play.

Grey lines of static danced across the screen briefly, before it settled down to show Misty. Ash started at the sight of her; there were bags under her eyes, and her hair looked un-brushed, but she was back, and she was Misty. 

Her eyes sparkled, and she nervously tugged at her hair, now cut so short it hadn't a hope of going back up in the ponytail. Her mouth curved up into a nervous smile, and Ash felt his resolve weakening already. 

**"Ash. If you haven't already turned the video off thanks…I guess you're annoyed with me. I don't blame you. I was really annoyed at you. I still am actually. Er, well what I was thinking, is that…maybe we can be annoyed at each other - together again?**

**I was thinking about our pact you know. I threw it away the night I left, and I'm sorry Ash. I thought I was doing what was best for you I guess… So…"** Misty bit her lip in thought. **"Togetic and all my other Pokémon are fine - Poliwhirl evolved into Poliwrath…and about the baby…" **She paused and swallowed. **"That wasn't your fault. I guess it just wasn't meant to be. I was so scared…"**

Her voice dropped to a whisper and she put her arms around herself as she stared away from the camera. **"All of a sudden there was all this blood, and my stomach felt like it was about to collapse in on itself, and I was screaming from the pain…there was no one around…and all of a sudden there was this tiny baby on the floor, all purple and covered in blood and gunk…he was so small Ash, so very, very tiny, but so beautiful too. And I knew he wasn't breathing, but I slapped him, and tried everything, but he was just so tiny, and he just couldn't breathe…"**

Misty turned her eyes back to the camera, and Ash winced as he saw the tears, so like the ones that had escaped from his eyes and were dampening his cheeks. **"It wasn't your fault,"** Misty repeated again. Her eyes clenched shut and opened again. **"But why didn't you try to find me? It's not like I was asking for a national search party, but not even one lousy carton of milk with my picture on it! Can you understand how I got mad at you? Sacrificing everything for you, and then seeing you dating supermodels when you should have been looking for me?"** Misty's mouth twisted up in a wry looking smile. **"Mind you, I've always been paranoid about the supermodels haven't I?"** Ash laughed quietly.

**"Anyway Ash,"** came Misty's voice, solemnly again. **"I can forgive you, and I can be sorry - but only if you forgive me, and are sorry too."** More tears ran down Ash's face, and he wiped them away with his sleeve immediately. **"I'll be in my special place, Saturday night, about seven. I always go there now. If you want to see me, I'll be there. And if you don't want to see me, then I'll know if you, if you…don't turn up…but Ash, even if we can't have what we had before, can't we still be friends? We've been through so much together…so much I can quote cliché lines like that! At least, at least…"** Misty was crying openly now, but trying stubbornly to hide to extent of her tears,** "you can come and we'll…we'll make up another pact." **

The camera suddenly jolted, and the picture was turned on its side as Anju rushed from behind it to hug Misty. Misty reached over and one of her tears fell onto the lens. She flicked a switch, and the screen went blank. The room fell silent. 

Ash turned the television off, and ejected the tape, all accustomed, and not really thinking. He smiled, and looked at his watch. 5.32. 

He was going to see his girlfriend soon. 


	12. 

~*~

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

****

~*~

Determinedly, the young red head sat alone of the small stretch of beach. Six o' clock came and went, then seven. The hands of her watch slowly inched their way around to the eight, but still she sat, alone on the cold rock, on the cold beach, in the north-west of Vermillion City.

She loved him. She had faith in him. She'd wait forever if she had to. She knew that he'd come for her, this time.

And on the cliff behind her, the tall, slightly lanky boy stood still watching her silently, as the last straggling rays of sunlight gave the front spikes of his hair an orangey tinge, not unlike hers. He watched her, never moving, waiting to see if she'd give up, wanting to see if she was sorry, needed to know that she still wanted him with every fibre of her being, the way she used too.

Still, she sat.

And still, he stood.

Stupid, stupid, stupid - came the taunting voice from inside the girl. How could you ever think he was coming? You were an annoyance, and it looks like you still were. 

Just a pain. Misty, the stupid complication in the Pokémon Master's life…

Misty jerked her head up, and forced a beaming smile onto her face. She was stubborn. So very stubborn. And she loved him, So very much. She wasn't going anywhere. And up on the cliff, Ash remained standing still, overseeing her almost parentally as she sat, holding her knees together as she sheltered herself from the cold wind that had began to blow up out of nowhere.

The tidal wind whipped up the silvery sand, but Misty's eyes were already stinging with tears that she was far too obstinate to let fall. To let them fall would be a release, but a sign of weakness none the less, and Misty Waterflower wasn't weak. She had been, but not anymore. She was broken still, and needed, oh so desperately to be repaired.

Her attention wavered to the ocean in front of her, the water dark and reflecting nothing but a cloudy sky. There was a chalky smudge where she guessed the moon was positioned, but the sky was like the water - a swirling mass of grey. Every few moments, the ocean would toss itself up into crystal foam, and the water sucked backwards as it was pulled from the other side of the world. 

It was beautiful, ever changing, never the same. Misty yearned for her familiar and satisfactory ritual, and just wanted to charge into that beautiful world, where she always felt safe, but she remained on the rock, in her silence, waiting for him…because she knew that he'd come.

And he did.

Misty felt his presence long before she saw him, but did not dare to look up until she was sure. Even through the dun light, her eyes met his and the gaze held perfectly, and comfortably. The wind blew harder, and Misty's slender form was slightly buffeted around - but she did not drop the precious, precious eye contact with him. 

Her blood crashed in her head, just as the water viciously pounced on the sand as the wind agitated the small waves further.

Ash couldn't help it. He smiled, and walked closer. She stared at him, like a tiny frightened rabbit, and as he slowly raised his arm, she slowly raised from the rock. Absentmindedly, Misty pushed back the front bangs of her hair, as she almost shyly reached out her hand, fingers spread, longing to touch him again.

A peal of thunder split the sky, and immediately both arms jerked back. Ash swallowed, and spoke, his voice sounding odd.

**"It's going to rain."** Smiling again, bashfully, he took her hand, and gently rubbed warmth into her icy fingers with his own, as he led her into her cave, remembering the hidden whereabouts of it behind the weeds perfectly. 

As they walked into the pitch blackness, Misty broke the contact with his reassuring hand, and set to walk across the room to get the matches to light the candles. Ash felt her hand leave his, and felt a jolt inside. Blindly he reached out, and grabbed her shoulder. Gently he pulled her deep into his embrace and he kissed her, like she hadn't been kissed for well over a year. Easily, Ash slid one hand around her waist and the other rested across her shoulders. 

At first Misty tensed up, but then Ash felt her shudder against him as she gave up and returned his kiss eagerly, and slid her arms around his neck and cupped her hands behind. When they finally broke apart, out of breath, Misty felt…so much lighter. 

**"Light,"** she mumbled, as she broke away again and clumsily, but with years of practice behind her, lit the candles eventually. She turned around and looked at Ash wordlessly. He flashed his trademark grin back at her from across the floor.

**"I guess this means you still like me huh?" **he joked. To his relief, Misty beamed at him, and he felt his heart jump.

**"Ash I love you. You're the one person who can make me unbelievably happy and the one person who can make me unbelievably sad. I love you."** Ash opened his mouth to speak, but she raised a hand to silence him. **"I love everything about you - even the bits I hate. I'm not a me without an us, and I just want to say that I'm sorry."**

**"Misty,"** Ash began as he walked haltingly across the sandy floor towards her and took her hands. **"You are my reason to be, no one would have done what you did for me, and I love you for that. I also love you for every other thing about you, and I'm sorry too…really."** Misty sniffed slightly.

**"Really?" **

**"Really,"** he reassured her with a grin, as he kissed her down to their knees on the floor, before reaching into his rucksack and pulling out three items - a newly folded piece of paper, a pen, and a white rose, in full bloom, tied with a pale blue ribbon, and thoughtfully stripped of thorns. Misty took the rose, smiling as she twisted the long stem gently between her fingers. **"I even wrote us another pact,"** said Ash quickly, blushing, and looking remarkably younger than his 18 years. Misty smiled, and took the paper curiously.

_Quand je regarde dans vos yeux, je réalise que mon amour pour vous me mourra jamais jamais - ensemble pour le reste de nos vies - vous veulent toujours ici par mon côté - vous êtes tout à moi - que vous êtes ma raison d'être_

Misty furrowed her eyebrows as she tried to decipher it, but her French was a tool in her memory too dusty to use, Gently, Ash recited it.

**"When I look into your eyes, I realise, that my love for you will never, ever die. Together for the rest of our lives, I always want you here by my side. You are everything to me, you are my reason to be."**

**"Aw Ash!"** Misty cooed. **"Did you make that up yourself?"**

**"Um no,"** Ash confessed, blushing again. **"Took it off some anime that was on TV the other week…"**

Misty made a mock disgusted noise in the back of her throat, but then smiled. She leant over to scrawl her cursive signature on the bottom, parallel to Ash's. Ash surveyed the top of her head and smiled at the deja vu. 

**"I'm sorry about something else Myst…"** he whispered. She looked up questioningly. **"I'm very sorry, cos you see, I never want to lose you again, and that means…..you have to marry me now."**

Misty balked at what Ash had just said, and a lump formed in her throat. Frantically, she swallowed it, and looked at Ash in shock with wide open eyes. He took her hands again. **"What, you want a proper proposal? Cuh - you would."** Ash shifted his body so he was on one knee, and grinned cheekily. **"Misty Kasumi Waterflower, will you be my wife?"** Still Misty gaped at him. Ash began to feel paranoid. 

**"Waaaaaaaaaaaaa? Okay I'm sorry I don't have a ring but this is a kind of spur of the moment thi-" **

Ash was cut off as Misty hurled herself at him, banging his head against the soft sand of the cave floor as she smothered him with kisses, shouting YES!! between each kiss, until she collapsed on top of him exhausted. Ash pulled himself so he was leaning against the wall, and smiling, he looked down deep into his fiancé's damp eyes.

**"Oh I love you so much it's scary…"** she whispered as she fell into her old life. Ash smiled and gently stroked her hair as he felt a wave of love and contentment rush through him.

**"I love you. I just love you so much."**

~*~

**"If it's a girl we have to call her Samantha,"** Ash droned in the background, as Misty held the small tube tightly between clenched fingers.

**"Shut up!"** she cried. **"It hasn't reacted yet! You'll jinx it!"**

**"Jeez sorreeeee…"** Ash muttered, but happily. He peered over his fiancé's shoulder at the torpedo shaped contraption that would somehow tell her if she was pregnant. 

**"It'd be well funny if you were pregnant Myst, cos you'd be huge by the wedding, and wouldn't fit into that expensive dress that you just _had_ to have…"** Misty swiped at the air behind her, too nervous and agitated to hit out at Ash properly. Ash sat stride on a chair pouting. **"Misty you've been staring at that thing for hooooours…"**

**"I've been staring at it for two minutes Mr Pokémon Master!"** came Misty's preoccupied answer. **"And you could be a little more sensitive here? This is a big deal ya know!"**

**"Yeah I know."** Ash smiled, and moved behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his head on her shoulder. **"But as long as I have you, everything's okay."**

**"What?"** asked Misty, surprised. **"You mean, you-you don't want a baby?"**

**"Of course I do!"** replied Ash, adamantly. **"But if it's not the right time yet, then I am perfectly content with just you."**

Misty kissed the side of his nose, and the room fell silent again, as two sets of human eyes, and Pikachu watched the small, but life-changing thing in Misty's quivering hands, as it slowly, very slowly, began to change colour…

**THE END**

****

****

~*~

**O M A K E**

Curtain calls!!

Ash, Misty, Brock, Tracey, Jo, Linda and Anju line up on the stage.

Ash presses downwards on Misty's head, winks, points at her stomach, and flashes a peace sign.

Misty wallops him with her mallet so he's laying crumpled on the stage, then copies the sign.

Brock starts throwing out what appears to be tacky paper confetti, but are actually small slips of paper with his telephone number on them.

Tracey stands completely still, with a blush over the bridge of his nose. He grins out to the audience for a brief moment before staring intently at his feet.

Jo is totally ignoring the audience, and is frantically wiping off her neon green eyeshadow and applying pink lipstick. 

Linda is standing with her chest out, holding a huge bouquet of roses, trying to conceal the tag: We're so proud of you darling, love Mom.

Anju is gesturing widely with her arms above her head and is grinning happily. She lifts the back of her skirt up and moons the audience. No one takes any notice.

The first named character of the following pairs grabs, in lecherous fashion, the second named character. They exit as a couple to screams, giggles, and obvious delights - off to the woods!

Ash takes Misty

Brock takes Jo

Tracey takes Anju

Linda is left alone on centre stage. She is livid, and throws her roses at Tracey's retreating back. She crosses her arms and stamps her foot.

BLACKOUT


End file.
